Israel’s attack on the Hamas negotiating team in Doha this week was the latest dramatic escalation of its regional war.
The timing of the attack – perpetrated as mediators met to discuss the latest ceasefire deal – was a brazen and desperate attempt to dismantle the fragile diplomatic framework painstakingly constructed over years of negotiation and engagement.
Yet, the attack was not only an assault on the mediation efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza, but also represents a direct threat to diplomacy and international order.
Doha has long been a central hub for regional diplomacy, engaging with all parties, including Hamas. Reports indicate that senior Hamas leaders were meeting in Doha to discuss a recent American proposal when the strike occurred.
This was not a battlefield encounter but a direct attack on a political process in motion.
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By striking a target in Qatar, which has long offered a neutral venue for talks, Israel has crossed a dangerous threshold, undermining the possibility of negotiated solutions.
Reshaping regional order
The attack took place in a deteriorating regional security landscape, in which the Middle East is entering a period of danger and volatility not witnessed in decades.
In recent weeks alone, Israel has extended military operations far beyond Gaza, launching strikes in Lebanon, the West Bank, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, and now Qatar.
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These are not isolated incidents, but part of a deliberate strategy to weaken sovereign states and destabilise the region. The current dynamics echo the turmoil that followed the 1948 Nakba, signalling preparation for a new phase of regional upheaval designed to preserve the Zionist project.
The conflict has thus shifted from questions of deterrence to a radical reshaping of the regional order.
The attack on Qatar carries consequences that extend well beyond a single act of aggression, with implications for both regional stability and international norms.
These can be understood through four key dimensions that highlight the scope of the challenge facing policymakers – particularly in the Gulf region.
Firstly, the recent spate of Israeli attacks send a clear message that no country in the region is beyond its reach. Its escalating campaign signals that every state, from Pakistan to Morocco and from Turkey to Sudan, could face similar attacks.
The latest strike is not merely about Qatar; it establishes a dangerous precedent that challenges the very notion of sovereign protection.
Through intimidation and force, Israel – backed by the US – is seeking to redraw the region’s strategic map, making clear its willingness to use military power to shape political outcomes and regional alignments. The scale of these operations, spanning seven countries in a matter of weeks, reveals a deliberate and coordinated campaign of coercion.
These are not defensive actions but calculated moves designed to impose a new regional order through fear and military dominance. If left unchallenged, this behaviour will normalise cross-border aggression and encourage other states to abandon restraint.
The result would be a rapid erosion of the norms that, for decades, have helped to limit regional wars and contain escalating rivalries.
US complicity
Secondly, the United States remains at the heart of this unfolding crisis.
Without Washington’s political, military, and intelligence backing, both the genocidal war on Gaza and its widening regional spillover would have been brought to a halt.
The escalating crises underscores that regional actors can no longer afford to respond with rhetoric alone. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) now faces a defining test of its collective security framework
The escalating crises underscores that regional actors can no longer afford to respond with rhetoric alone
It is implausible that US officials were unaware of military operations on this scale. Even if they did not explicitly authorise them, their silence and the continued flow of arms and intelligence make the US complicit.
A state cannot credibly claim to promote peace whilst enabling one party to launch attacks with impunity. By shielding Israel from accountability, Washington not only undermines its own credibility but also weakens the very international order it claims to defend.
US diplomatic cover and military support have allowed Israel to operate outside the constraints of international law.
Washington’s repeated use of veto power at the UN Security Council, its obstruction of investigations, and its shielding of Israel from international courts have created a culture of impunity.
Today’s crisis is the direct result of this exceptionalism: a state acting as though it is above the rules that govern global conduct.
The GCC now faces a tough challenge. If a founding member such as Qatar can be attacked without consequence, the GCC’s defensive architecture risks becoming meaningless.
Eroding sovereignty
Likewise, the Arab League must recognise that these are not isolated incidents but part of a broader strategy aimed at eroding sovereignty across the Arab and Muslim world.
Disunity and hesitation will only embolden further aggression. Regional states must therefore act decisively to safeguard their territories and populations, especially as Israel has made clear its intent to escalate further.
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Finally, this crisis extends beyond regional institutions to challenge global multilateralism itself. The United Nations stands at a critical juncture. Israel’s persistent defiance of UN resolutions and disregard for international mandates have severely undermined the organisation’s credibility.
Its failure to protect civilians or prevent conflict has left it appearing powerless in the face of escalating violence. To restore its relevance, the UN must move beyond symbolic statements and adopt decisive measures. This includes urgent investigations, emergency sessions, and binding enforcement actions to hold aggressors accountable.
The international community must impose real costs on Israel through sanctions, legal accountability, and diplomatic isolation. Anything less will signal that violence and impunity have replaced international law and collective security as the organising principles of global politics.
Israel’s strike on Qatar was more than a military action. It was a direct assault on sovereignty, stability, and the fragile hope that conflicts can be resolved through non-violent means.
If this moment passes without a unified and decisive response, it will set a precedent that reshapes the region and destabilises the global order for decades to come.
Arab and international leaders now face a stark choice: act to preserve regional stability and international peace, or stand by as established diplomatic norms continue to erode.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
