President Donald Trump planned to meet the Qatari prime minister in New York on Friday, a White House official said, days after U.S. ally Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani © Mena Today
President Donald Trump planned to meet the Qatari prime minister in New York on Friday, a White House official said, days after U.S. ally Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
The official did not elaborate on the timing of the meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani or its agenda.
Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an attack in Qatar on Tuesday, a strike that risked derailing U.S.-backed efforts to broker a truce in Gaza and end the nearly two-year-old conflict. The attack was widely condemned in the Middle East and beyond as an act that could escalate tensions in a region already on edge.
Trump said he was unhappy with Israel's strike, which he described as a unilateral action that did not advance U.S. or Israeli interests.
Washington counts Qatar as a strong Gulf ally. Qatar has been a main mediator in long-running negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, and for a post-conflict plan for the territory.
Al-Thani blamed Israel on Tuesday for trying to sabotage chances for peace, but said Qatar would not be deterred from its role as mediator.
The Qatari leader will also meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department said late on Thursday.
By Jarrett Renshaw
President Donald Trump's top diplomat Marco Rubio will fly to Israel this weekend amid tensions among fellow U.S. allies in the Middle East over Israel's strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The State of Qatar and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have dispatched a new humanitarian aid shipment to Syria.
The United Arab Emirates summoned the Israeli ambassador on Friday over Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Israeli broadcaster KAN reported, in another sign of strain between the two countries with close economic and defence ties.
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