Israel's attack on Qatar is part of 'strategy of expansionist ideology', says Palestinian minister

Varsen Aghabekian calls for action during foreign ministers' meeting in Doha

Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs Varsen Aghabekian speaks to The National in Doha, Qatar, ahead of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit on September 14. Nada AlTaher / The National

Palestinian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Varsen Aghabekian said the unprecedented attack on Doha last week "is part of Israel’s strategy of expansionist ideology and being capable of doing anything it wants to do and being able to do it with impunity".

Ms Aghabekian was speaking on the sidelines of a preparatory foreign ministers meeting ahead of an emergency Arab-Islamic summit to address the Israeli attack on Qatar on Monday.

"It comes as no surprise to me as a Palestinian, because that’s exactly what Israel stands for and the mentality that rules Israel today," she told The National.

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Ms Aghabekian was referring to Israel's escalating attacks in the region, expanding to Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran in recent months.

Israel has threatened to strike again to reach more Hamas targets abroad, while Qatar described the attack as state terrorism. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman visited Washington to convey messages of disapproval regarding Israel's decision to strike a key US ally and home to the largest American base in the region.

US President Donald Trump made clear his own disapproval, saying he was "unhappy" with the attack, but Washington has not publicly expressed that Israel's actions have crossed a red line.

On Sunday, Mr Trump told reporters that "Qatar has been a very great ally. Israel and everyone else, we have to be careful. When we attack people, we have to be careful".

“Qatar has been a great ally, and they also lead a very difficult life because they’re right in the middle of everything,” he added.

Mr Trump has walked a cautious line between the two US allies in the Middle East following the Israeli strike on Qatar.

"Israel believes it’s supreme. It can do whatever it wants... and is guarded by superpowers that’ll enable it to do whatever it wishes to do," Ms Aghabekian said.

While the US remains resistant to taking serious steps to hold Israel accountable or further the rights of Palestinians, world views by prominent European states are changing. Countries like France, Finland, Belgium and Canada have said they will be among some countries recognising Palestinian statehood at an upcoming UN conference in New York this month.

"I think the European position has come a long way. It's late, but better late than never, because standing with the right of Palestinians is a legal and moral obligation for all countries," Ms Aghabekian said.

Palestine is recognised as a sovereign state by 147 out of the UN General Assembly's 193 members, and the push now for more states to recognise it demonstrates Israel's growing isolation on the world stage, the Palestinian official believes.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution charting the road map towards Palestinian statehood. The “New York Declaration on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution” sets out a 15-month plan to establish a demilitarised, sovereign Palestinian state, despite Israel's resistance.

Measures like this and others illustrate that the time is right for action, and not just words, Ms Aghabekian said. "Many were saying it’s not the right time, we need a process. But that’ll never come because Israel isn’t a two-stater. So if we have to be at the mercy of the Israelis there will never be a Palestinian state and the whole world is coming to realise that."