Following Israel’s major military escalation this morning – an assassination attempt against several senior leaders of Hamas in Qatar – Mehdi, Zeteo contributor Rula Jebreal, and Gaza political analyst Muhammad Shehada joined a live breaking news Town Hall Q&A with Zeteo subscribers to discuss the news and the implications. The kind of context you won’t find elsewhere.
Rula suggests that Israel’s attack is by design: “Since this government was elected and took office, they've been clear about their genocidal intent, their ethnic cleansing agenda. They never hid it… And I think it's very important to understand that the assassination attempt comes after they bombed eight countries in the last month.”
Reports this morning revealed that President Trump was warned ahead of the attack. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said later in the day that President Trump “feels very badly” about the attack, adding, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and greatly taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
Given the tight relationship between Israel and the US, Rula argues, “I don't believe that Trump didn't, in any way, know about it… They're partners in crime.”
Muhammad adds, “The US just sent a message to its key allies all around the world that nothing is going to protect you no matter how much US weaponry you buy or how much you invest in US territory or US industries or how much American troops you put on your ground, none of it will shield you from Israel. Israel is above and beyond anything and it's bound by nothing.”
He also speaks about how Qatar, a key ally in the region housing the largest US base in the Middle East, has been taking it: “Basically, the message that Israel is sending to them [Qatar], that I’m hearing now from people in Qatar and in other Gulf countries, is we are paying billions and billions to the US to protect us. And Trump uses those billions to manufacture bombs that he then supplies Israel to bomb us with, the bombs that were developed with our very own money.”
Watch the full conversation above to also hear about what the attacks could mean for the wider region as well as the future of the US’s relationship with Qatar.
This Town Hall was for paid subscribers only. Consider upgrading your subscription to join future town halls where you can get your questions answered live.
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