A Politico report published Wednesday claimed that the White House authored Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent apology to Qatar and that a senior Qatari envoy was present in the Oval Office to ensure he followed the prepared script. The Prime Minister’s Office dismissed the story as false, asserting that Netanyahu’s remarks were his own.
According to the report, then–US President Donald Trump directed Netanyahu to call Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani from the Oval Office and read an apology drafted by American officials in coordination with Qatari representatives. The conversation reportedly followed an Israeli airstrike in Doha that mistakenly killed a Qatari security officer during an operation targeting Hamas leaders.
Politico cited three sources familiar with the matter who said that Ali Al-Thawadi, a senior Qatari diplomat and confidant of Al Thani, sat beside US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff during the call “to ensure Netanyahu didn’t deviate from the White House’s version of events.”
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The apology, according to a White House readout, expressed Israel’s “deep regret” for the unintended killing and for breaching Qatari sovereignty. Netanyahu reportedly promised that Israel would not carry out such actions again. The call also included discussions about Gaza, Hamas, and possible next steps toward restoring communication between Jerusalem and Doha, which do not maintain formal diplomatic ties.
The following day, Al Thani said the apology represented “the bare minimum,” adding that Qatar’s main concern was preventing future Israeli attacks and contributing to ending the war.
Shortly afterward, President Trump issued a presidential order providing US security assurances to Qatar, declaring that any armed assault on the Gulf state would be considered a threat to American security and would trigger a US response “by all lawful means, including military action.” Analysts described the move as extending near-total defense coverage to Qatar and those operating from its territory.
In Israel, the reported apology sparked political backlash. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called it “a humiliating apology and a national disgrace,” while other officials privately described the event as “an American dictate shaped by Qatari pressure.”
The Prime Minister’s Office rejected the claims outright, saying in a statement that Netanyahu “determined his own remarks in coordination with his professional team.” It added that the Qatari official was present during the call “only at the Americans’ invitation” and that “there was no direct contact with the Israeli delegation.”
The conversation reportedly preceded President Trump’s announcement of his postwar peace plan, which he unveiled alongside Netanyahu, declaring that both Israel and the Arab world had accepted it.