The White House drafted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s apology to Qatar last week, Politico reported today (Wednesday). Three sources familiar with the call, speaking anonymously due to its sensitivity, said that Trump instructed Netanyahu to call al-Thani directly from the Oval Office and read the apology as it had been prepared in advance by the White House, in coordination with Qatari officials.
Ali al-Thawadi, a senior Qatari diplomat with ministerial authority, was present alongside U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witcoff. Politico reported that al-Thawadi, close to the Qatari prime minister, acted as Doha’s central coordinator during the call, ensuring Netanyahu “did not publicly deviate” from the White House version. A former Gaza-based blogger living in the U.S. claimed that Netanyahu met al-Thawadi personally after the call, but the Prime Minister’s Office denied this, saying, “He was present only during the phone conversation.”
During the call, Netanyahu told al-Thani, “I want to assure you that Hamas was the target, not Qatar. I also want to assure you that Israel has no plan to violate your sovereignty again in the future, and I have committed this to President Trump,” speaking alongside the U.S. president.
Netanyahu also noted Israel's complaints against Qatar for supporting Hamas and spreading antisemitic propaganda, saying in his apology, "I know your leadership has grievances against Israel and Israel has grievances against Qatar, from support for the Muslim Brotherhood to how Israel is portrayed on Al Jazeera to support for anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses. I welcome the President's idea to establish a trilateral group to address both our countries' outstanding grievances."
Al-Thani responded the following day, saying, “Netanyahu’s apology is the most basic step, but the most important thing is the commitment not to attack us again. Our main concern, after defending our country, is how to contribute to ending the war.”
The Prime Minister's Office dismissed the report, stating: "This is fake news. Prime Minister Netanyahu's words in his conversation with the Prime Minister of Qatar were determined by the Prime Minister in consultation with his professional team only."
"Regarding the Qatari element, he was only present during the conversation at the invitation of the American team, and there was no contact with the Israeli team."
One day after the call, Trump granted Qatar unprecedented security guarantees: a presidential order declared that any armed attack on Qatari territory or infrastructure would be considered “a threat to its security” and that the U.S. would respond “by all lawful means, including military, to protect the interests of the U.S. and Qatar.” The practical effect of this guarantee is near-complete immunity for terrorists operating in Qatar and unprecedented American support for the country’s statements.
In Israel, the apology caused a political storm. Finance Minister and Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich criticized it as a “cowardly apology - a national disgrace.” Senior officials in Israel’s diplomatic apparatus described the event as “an American diktat aligned with Qatari demands,” with one official calling it “a genuine political penance.”