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The Israeli airstrike on Doha, Qatar’s gleaming capital, last week marks a watershed moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics. This audacious operation, involving a squadron of 15 fighter jets targeting Palestinian leaders sheltered in the Gulf state, shattered long-standing assumptions about regional red lines.
I see this not just as an isolated act of aggression but as the crystallization of a bold, reckless Israeli military doctrine. It is one that discards restraint, embraces multifront escalation and treats sovereign borders as mere suggestions. In my view, this is not merely a desperate bid by Benjamin Netanyahu to cling to power amid domestic scandals, it is a societal shift, backed by surging public approval in Israel, as a poll published last week by Maariv found that 75 percent of Israelis supported the attack. Israelis, weary of perpetual threats, seem to be buying into this “no safe havens” mantra, even if it risks igniting a broader conflagration.
This doctrine represents a paradigm shift from the cautious, deterrence-based strategies of past Israeli governments. Historically, Israel has operated within implicit boundaries, avoiding direct strikes on neutral, Western-aligned states like Qatar, which has positioned itself as a mediator in hostage negotiations and a hub for US interests. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid airbase, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, housing more than 10,000 US personnel.
Yet here we are: Israeli jets piercing Qatari airspace, bombing targets in a nation that has funneled billions into humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts. This was not just a tactical strike, it was a declaration that peace brokers are fair game if they harbor perceived enemies. The attack upended the fragile equilibrium of regional stability, exposing the hollowness of “untouchable” norms.
I see this not just as an isolated act of aggression but as the crystallization of a bold, reckless Israeli military doctrine
Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed
As I analyze this through a lens of maximal truthfulness, it is clear that, without swift, collective international intervention, we are staring down the barrel of unchecked chaos. Israel must be held accountable but let’s be real: with unconditional US backing under President Donald Trump, Netanyahu has been handed a blank check for adventurism.
Netanyahu’s postattack bravado only underscores this. In a fiery address to the Knesset, he boasted of confronting “seven fronts” simultaneously, from Gaza and Lebanon to Syria, Iran and now the Gulf. He accused Qatar of weaponizing the incident to isolate Israel diplomatically, while hinting at further strikes.
This rhetoric is not empty. It is rooted in the vision of a “Greater Israel,” a concept Netanyahu has invoked repeatedly in recent speeches, dreaming of expanded borders under the guise of national security. My take? This is not divine destiny, it is opportunism fueled by Trump’s unwavering support. The president’s errors, from sidelining Palestinian rights to greenlighting annexations, have eroded the America’s mediator role, aligning it fully with Israeli hard-liners. Reports from credible sources reveal Trump was briefed on the Doha operation more than 50 minutes in advance. His silence? Tacit approval. This not only strains US-Qatari ties, putting Al-Udeid at risk, but creates a glaring hypocrisy: Washington preaches de-escalation publicly while enabling escalation covertly.
Expanding on this, Israel’s actions extend far beyond Doha. Under the pretext of protecting borders that remain ambiguously defined and ever-expanding, Netanyahu’s forces have launched preemptive strikes across the region. In Lebanon, they have targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, aiming to neutralize the group’s missile arsenal. In Iran, airstrikes have hit nuclear facilities, stoking fears of a wider war. Syria sees Israeli occupation of territories nearly double Gaza’s size, with support for rebel factions undermining Damascus. Even a ship in the Global Sumud Flotilla off Tunisia’s coast was attacked and, in Gaza, the ongoing campaign has been labeled genocide by the UN, with tens of thousands of civilian deaths reported by human rights groups.
These are not isolated incidents, they are threads in a tapestry of dominance. The Doha attack serves as the capstone, signaling the death knell for negotiations. Qatar’s role in brokering ceasefires and hostage releases? Irrelevant to this doctrine. Instead, it is about eliminating threats wherever they hide.
In my view — informed by a commitment to logical reasoning rather than sentiment — Trump’s complicity accelerates Netanyahu’s timeline. With the possibility looming of a change in tact of the US administration through midterm shifts, Netanyahu is rushing to “finalize” his long-term goals: annexing the West Bank, dismantling Hezbollah, crippling Iran’s nuclear ambitions, displacing Gazans through siege and bombardment, and redrawing the Middle East map. He has even mused about “reshaping” the region in interviews.
The only bulwark? Arab rejection of forced displacement, as voiced unanimously at recent summits. This consensus, fragile as it is, prevents full ethnic cleansing in Gaza. Enter the emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha on Monday — a direct response to the attack. Hosted amid the airstrike’s echoes, it produced a communique with unprecedented bite: calls to review diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, push for the suspension of its UN membership, and reject any further threats against Arab states. This was not mere rhetoric, it emphasized collective security, while offering a veiled warning against “state terrorism.”
Preceding this, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s address to the Shoura Council was a masterclass in resolve. He condemned the assault as a destabilizing crime, pledging unlimited Saudi support for Qatar and mobilizing capabilities to deter Israel. The crown prince’s words, “We will stand with Qatar without limit,” echo Gulf solidarity, potentially bridging historical rifts.
It could indeed be an ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ situation, fostering Arab unity against Israeli overreach
Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed
I appreciate this pragmatism. Bombast about severing US ties or launching all-out war ignores the Arab world’s divisions, economic disparities, proxy conflicts in Yemen and Libya, and varying alliances. A full military confrontation? It would be a recipe for disaster in a region lacking unified command structures and advanced deterrence. Instead, the smart play is political judo: leverage the attack to isolate Israel internationally.
Here is where optimism creeps in, albeit tempered by realism. The Doha incident could indeed be an “every cloud has a silver lining” situation, fostering Arab unity against Israeli overreach. For the first time, Israel has lost the global narrative war. Social media amplifies Gaza’s horrors, eroding the “victim state” image Israel has cultivated since 1948. The Palestinian people’s resilience and sacrifices have swayed public opinion, with protests from London to Tokyo demanding accountability.
European nations, including Spain, Ireland and Norway, have recognized Palestine, signaling a shift. The UN’s genocide acknowledgment adds legal weight. The Gulf states, with their oil-fueled economic clout controlling trillions in sovereign wealth funds, can amplify this pressure. By lobbying Washington to temper its support (perhaps by tying Israeli aid to concessions), they could force a rethink. After all, US interests are not monolithic — alienating key allies like Qatar jeopardizes counterterrorism efforts and energy security.
Reviving the two-state solution fits this strategy. ’s joint initiative with France, spotlighted after the UN General Assembly’s overwhelming adoption of the New York Declaration last week, endorses Palestinian statehood. With 142 nations voting in favor, the vote underscored international fatigue with the Israeli occupation. This is not pie-in-the-sky idealism, it is actionable diplomacy. Implementing it would require borders based on the 1967 lines, East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital and refugee rights — elements long stalled by Israeli settlements.
In my view, this path offers the best shot at de-escalation, though success hinges on Arab cohesion. The Kingdom’s leadership, bolstered by Vision 2030’s economic diversification and ties to powers like China and Russia, positions it to orchestrate this. However, challenges abound. Not all Arab states are stable, think Syria’s fragility or Lebanon’s paralysis, and internal divisions could undermine unity.
Ultimately, the world respects strength and Arab power lies in collective action. Symbolic as it may be, a unified front creates a pressure block beyond toothless condemnations. Israel’s advantages — top-tier intelligence via Mossad, a military with F-35s and the Iron Dome, and US veto power at the UN — will not be a deterrent if the cost escalates. Economic boycotts, diplomatic isolation and legal pursuits at the International Criminal Court could make Netanyahu’s doctrine unsustainable.
I will not sugarcoat it: unity will not magically erase decades of mistrust, but the Doha attack provides a rallying cry. It could pivot the region toward equitable peace, ending the cycle of occupation. Or, if squandered, it invites more turmoil. The choice is theirs — but history favors the bold.
- Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed is an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, in the Department of Biosystems Engineering. He is the author of “Agricultural Development Strategies: The Saudi Experience.” X: @TurkiFRasheed