Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Sep 13: Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met US President Donald Trump in New York on Friday evening, days after a deadly Israeli strike in Doha killed a Qatari security official and five Hamas members engaged in ceasefire talks.

Ahead of the dinner meeting, Sheikh Mohammed held discussions at the White House with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Israel’s attack and the US-Qatar security partnership, Al Jazeera reported. Washington values Qatar as a key Gulf ally, hosting the strategic Al Udeid airbase near Doha.

Trump expressed strong displeasure over Israel’s targeting of Qatar, calling it an attempt to derail ongoing Israel-Hamas truce negotiations. The UN Security Council, in a rare move, also condemned Israel’s action on Thursday.

Meanwhile, US diplomacy remains in a delicate balance between supporting Israel and maintaining ties with Arab partners. Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel this weekend before attending a UN summit on September 22, where several nations plan to recognise a Palestinian state—a step France and Saudi Arabia are actively advocating as part of efforts to revive the two-state solution and end the Gaza conflict, which has claimed over 64,700 lives.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio will reaffirm Washington’s commitment to prevent Hamas from regaining control of Gaza and to secure the release of hostages, even as international calls grow for a lasting peace settlement.