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Qatar calls Israeli government 'reckless,' urges world to stop peace 'saboteurs'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on September 24, 2026. (AFP Photo)
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on September 24, 2026. (AFP Photo)
September 29, 2026 09:26 AM GMT+03:00

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the Israeli government is "reckless" and "keeps killing" in Gaza, urging countries to "stop the saboteurs" and "stop the troublemakers" blocking lasting peace.

In an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), the Qatari leader also said Iran had shown it is "not a peacemaker" for the Gulf, while calling for a regional security framework that includes Tehran.

Qatar is a key mediator between the U.S. and Iran and between Israel and Hamas, but seven months of war have hit its gas exports, which rely on passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar PM: Israeli government 'reckless' in Gaza

"In Gaza, unfortunately, we are dealing with a party who is reckless; keeps killing; preventing humanitarian aid from entering. The world is not doing much about it," Sheikh Mohammed said.

Asked whether he meant the Israeli government, he said: "Of course. It's very clear that the commitments stated in the agreement are not fulfilled yet. We are calling for the Israeli government to fulfill its commitment."

"The Palestinian issue will never be resolved with the policies adopted by the current Israeli government. What's happening in Gaza is one thing; the West Bank, another. We have seen violations happening in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq," he said.

A view of a makeshift tent camp as Palestinians living in the Al-Rimal area of Gaza City continue their daily lives under difficult conditions in Gaza, Palestine, on September 15, 2026. (AA Photo)
A view of a makeshift tent camp as Palestinians living in the Al-Rimal area of Gaza City continue their daily lives under difficult conditions in Gaza, Palestine, on September 15, 2026. (AA Photo)

'Peacemakers, troublemakers or saboteurs'

"In our world, countries are either peacemakers, troublemakers or saboteurs, or those who sit back and do nothing," the prime minister said.

"All countries need to step up and to stop the saboteurs, stop the troublemakers and work together collaboratively in delivering a real peace," he said.

He also warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure had become normalized.

"What's really concerning is that a red line, targeting civilian facilities, schools, hospitals, bridges, power plants, energy facilities, became the new normal," he said.

Asked whether he included the U.S. and Israel, he said: "Any targeting of civilian facilities should be prohibited and we should stand up for this."

Damaged building (L) in the compound housing Hamas political bureau members, which was targeted by an Israeli strike in Qatars capital Doha, Sept. 10, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Damaged building (L) in the compound housing Hamas political bureau members, which was targeted by an Israeli strike in Qatars capital Doha, Sept. 10, 2025. (AFP Photo)

Iran 'not a peacemaker' for Gulf

Asked whether Iran is a troublemaker, Sheikh Mohammed said: "With what they have created for the region as a response to the American-Israeli war, it's appeared very clearly that they are not a peacemaker."

He later clarified: "We are talking specifically about the trouble Iran made for the Gulf."

"Iran is our neighbor. Without a security framework that brings us all together as Gulf countries with Iran, ensuring that none of us is posing a threat to the other, this region will not continue in the same way as it used to," he said.

"We are hoping this war is a wake-up call for everyone," Sheikh Mohammed said.

"There are messages being shuttled between Iran and the U.S. It's complex. It needs a lot of patience," he added.

"Qatar is not a party of this war. Iran is our neighbor. The U.S. is our strategic ally. There is no clear master strategy we are following. That's basically what we are missing today," Sheikh Mohammed said.

He called the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia "very irresponsible."

Asked whether Qatar might join the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement (MJDA) signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, he said: "We are glad to see that the region is coming together."

Armed volunteers registered with the "Janfada-ye Iran" program march between Imam Hossein Square and Enqelab Square in Tehran, Iran on September 18, 2026. (AA Photo)
Armed volunteers registered with the "Janfada-ye Iran" program march between Imam Hossein Square and Enqelab Square in Tehran, Iran on September 18, 2026. (AA Photo)

Qatar PM: US 'will always be our strategic ally'

"The U.S. will always be our strategic ally," Sheikh Mohammed said.

"Sometimes they listen to us; sometimes they take a different opinion. It doesn't mean this will compromise our partnership," he added.

Asked about the U.S. military base in Qatar, the largest in the region, he said the defense partnership is one of the cornerstones of relations between the two countries, adding: "It's a two-way partnership. It's never a one-way partnership."

September 29, 2026 09:27 AM GMT+03:00
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