On 9 September 2025, Israel conducted its first-ever direct military strike on Qatar, targeting Hamas negotiators in Doha’s diplomatic quarter while they were reviewing a US-brokered ceasefire proposal (Al Jazeera, 2025; CNN, 2025). The attack, which killed six people including a Qatari security officer and several Hamas members, represents far more than another tactical military operation (NBC News, 2025). It marks a watershed moment that exposes the fundamental collapse of the international order established after World War II and demands urgent reconsideration of how global diplomacy and security function in the 21st century.

The violation of diplomatic principles

What makes the Doha attack particularly egregious is not just its breach of sovereignty, but its assault on the very foundations of international mediation. Qatar has hosted Hamas diplomats at the explicit request of the United States, serving as a crucial mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the Gaza conflict (CBS News, 2025; Wikipedia, 2025). The targeted compound housed negotiators who were, at the moment of attack, discussing an active ceasefire proposal presented by the United States (Al Jazeera, 2025).

This represents an unprecedented violation of diplomatic immunity and neutrality. Throughout history, even in the most bitter conflicts, mediating parties have maintained sanctity. The Geneva Conventions, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and centuries of international custom have established clear principles: you do not attack the messenger, especially when that messenger is working toward peace at your own ally’s request.

Trump himself expressed rare public criticism of Israel, telling reporters he was “very unhappy” about the attack, acknowledging that it threatened to “imperil efforts to secure a ceasefire and free hostages held in Gaza” (NBC News, 2025). Even Israel’s closest ally recognized the destructive nature of attacking one’s own mediators.

Yet despite this recognition, the United States took no concrete action to hold Israel accountable or prevent future attacks. No sanctions were imposed, no military aid was suspended, and no diplomatic consequences followed. This inaction exposes the hollow nature of American claims to be an honest broker for peace in the region. 

The imperial logic of Western hegemony

The Doha attack must be understood within the broader context of Western imperial logic that has defined international relations since the colonial era. Despite the post-WWII establishment of institutions like the United Nations, International Labour Organization, and various regional bodies, these frameworks have consistently served to legitimize rather than constrain Western hegemonic power.

The creation of Israel as what many scholars characterize as the last major settler colonial project in the Middle East represents a continuation of imperial strategies........

© Middle East Monitor