A furious Donald Trump issued a stern “demand” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not launch another attack on Qatar following Israel’s shock targeting of Hamas leaders in Doha, according to reports.
Trump spoke with Netanyahu on Tuesday and expressed disbelief at the airstrikes, which the U.S. was not made aware of until the missiles were already in the air, according to Axios. The attack on Qatar—an American ally and a country with close ties to Trump—has left White House officials concerned that Israel has severely damaged any hopes for a peace deal in Gaza being agreed.
“It’s unacceptable. I demand that you do not repeat it,” Trump told Netanyahu, two sources told Axios.
Trump is said to be “increasingly frustrated” with Netanyahu over Israel’s constant aggression in the Middle East, a senior administration official told the Wall Street Journal, which also reported on the heated phone call.
Despite the dressing-down from Trump, Netanyahu warned Qatar that Israel would strike again if Hamas officials were found to be hiding there the following day.
“I say to Qatar and all nations that harbor terrorists, you either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will,” Netanyahu said.
White House officials have raised concerns that Israel’s bombing of Hamas’ negotiating team in Qatar—which was also met with international condemnation—could “potentially disembowel” any hopes of securing a ceasefire and the return of hostages, a source told The Atlantic.
Senior aides to the president also suggested to the magazine that this may have been Netanyahu’s “exact intent.”
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani echoed a similar sentiment while accusing Israel of carrying out a “barbaric” attack.
“We were thinking that we are dealing with civilized people,” he told CNN. “What Netanyahu did yesterday, he just killed any hope for those hostages.”
The Journal reported there was a second call between Trump and Netanyahu that was more “cordial.” During that exchange, Trump asked Netanyahu if the Doha attack had at least succeeded in killing Hamas officials.
Netanyahu said he did not know, though Hamas hours later claimed its leaders were unharmed while five lower-ranking officials were killed.
In the immediate aftermath of the bombing, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Fox News that if Israel failed to kill Hamas leaders in Qatar, then they would “get them the next time.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and Netanyahu’s office for comment.
