US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to guarantee Qatar’s security – including by taking military action – if the country comes under attack.
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the order says.
“In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures – including diplomatic, economic and, if necessary, military – to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”
Qatar welcomed the signing of the executive order, describing it as “a reflection of the strong and long-standing ties between Doha and Washington, built on co-operation and partnership in mediation, conflict resolution and global peace and security”.
“The move represents an important step in strengthening the two countries' close defence partnerships,” the statement by Qatar's Foreign Ministry said.
The order, released on Wednesday and dated September 29, was signed three weeks after Israel launched an air strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar. The attack killed several members of Hamas's negotiating team as well as a Qatari security officer.
The strike outraged Qatari and US officials and raised questions about the strength of American security guarantees for the Gulf nation.
The executive order appeared to be aimed at reassuring Qatar that such a strike would not happen again.
“This is probably symbolic,” a former US State Department official told The National.
“We've kind of run out of statutory based gold stars to hand out, and they were searching for other things. They looked around and said, what can we give them that doesn't require congressional action?”
Qatar hosts the largest US military installation in the Middle East and, like many of its Gulf neighbours, has regarded the US as a guarantor of its security. That made the recent attack by Israel, a close American ally, particularly shocking to Qatari officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday offered a rare apology to Qatar for the attack.
Before the announcement of the 20-point peace plan for Gaza, Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu held a three-way conversation with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman from the White House.
“Israel was targeting terrorists. It wasn't targeting Qatar, and of course, we regretted the loss of the Qatari citizen,” Mr Netanyahu told reporters.
Kristin Diwan, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute think tank, said the attack left Qatar in a vulnerable position, and with a crisis of deterrence.
“This step really relieves the crisis,” Ms Diwan told The National.
“They have a public apology from President Netanyahu, overseen by President Trump in the Oval Office, and now an assurance of their security in the name of the President, basically saying that an attack on Qatar was like an attack on the United States.”
She added that the move is directly related to the Israeli attack on Qatar, rather than a change in approach towards a broader alignment with the GCC countries, despite the fact that the attack on Qatar was also felt by the other Gulf states.
“They'll be reassured by this,” Ms Diwan said. “I wouldn't be surprised if they would be seeking more direct assurances from the White House as well.”
Mr Netanyahu had previously defended the strike, saying it was part of Israel’s mission to avenge the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and ignited the war in Gaza.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Company%C2%A0profile
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
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End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
PROVISIONAL FIXTURE LIST
Premier League
Wednesday, June 17 (Kick-offs uae times) Aston Villa v Sheffield United 9pm; Manchester City v Arsenal 11pm
Friday, June 19 Norwich v Southampton 9pm; Tottenham v Manchester United 11pm
Saturday, June 20 Watford v Leicester 3.30pm; Brighton v Arsenal 6pm; West Ham v Wolves 8.30pm; Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 10.45pm
Sunday, June 21 Newcastle v Sheffield United 2pm; Aston Villa v Chelsea 7.30pm; Everton v Liverpool 10pm
Monday, June 22 Manchester City v Burnley 11pm (Sky)
Tuesday, June 23 Southampton v Arsenal 9pm; Tottenham v West Ham 11.15pm
Wednesday, June 24 Manchester United v Sheffield United 9pm; Newcastle v Aston Villa 9pm; Norwich v Everton 9pm; Liverpool v Crystal Palace 11.15pm
Thursday, June 25 Burnley v Watford 9pm; Leicester v Brighton 9pm; Chelsea v Manchester City 11.15pm; Wolves v Bournemouth 11.15pm
Sunday June 28 Aston Villa vs Wolves 3pm; Watford vs Southampton 7.30pm
Monday June 29 Crystal Palace vs Burnley 11pm
Tuesday June 30 Brighton vs Manchester United 9pm; Sheffield United vs Tottenham 11.15pm
Wednesday July 1 Bournemouth vs Newcastle 9pm; Everton vs Leicester 9pm; West Ham vs Chelsea 11.15pm
Thursday July 2 Arsenal vs Norwich 9pm; Manchester City vs Liverpool 11.15pm
