Israel must ‘be careful’ with Qatar, respect ‘great US ally’ – Trump

According to Trump, Qatar’s reputation in the West is undeservedly negative, with the president suggesting the Gulf kingdom  focus on better public relations.

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump offered effusive praise for the ruler of Qatar, warning Israel that it must proceed with caution regarding any future military activity in the Gulf kingdom.

“My message [to Israel] is that they have to be very, very careful” when it comes to Qatar, Trump told a reporter in New Jersey on Sunday.

Israel has “to do something about Hamas, but Qatar has been a great ally to the United States,” the president reiterated.

Trump stressed that Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani is a “wonderful person” and suggested that Qatar’s image in the Western world is unfairly negative.

“People talk of [Qatar] so badly, and they shouldn’t be,” Trump said, adding that Doha should focus on “better public relations” to improve the public’s perception of the oil-rich monarchic state.

Last week, Trump expressed his displeasure with the Israeli strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar.

Referring to the bombing, Trump said he was “very unhappy about the way that it went down,” adding that he was “not thrilled about the whole situation.”

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump “spoke to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and thanked them for their support and friendship to our country.”

“He assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” she added.

Last Monday, Israel bombed a compound used by a senior team of Hamas negotiators.

The strike killed the son, office manager, and aide of a senior leader, but it appears that the targets of the attack escaped unscathed.

Qatar has voiced outrage over the attack on its territory, calling Israel’s bombing of Hamas leaders “state terrorism.”