Qatar's Emir Criticizes Israel for Expanding Conflict to West Bank and Lebanon

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani accused Israel of deliberately expanding its conflict in the Middle East to implement pre-existing plans for the occupied West Bank and Lebanon. Speaking at the opening of Qatar's Shura Council, the Emir said Israel could have de-escalated tensions by ending the war in Gaza but chose to extend aggression into other regions.

Sheikh Tamim emphasized that Israel's actions in Lebanon and the West Bank were part of a broader strategy, exploiting the international community's inaction. He also highlighted Qatar’s ongoing efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza and called for peace in Lebanon, where Israel has increased military operations against Hezbollah.

The war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, has resulted in widespread violence, including in the West Bank. The Emir criticized Israel for using the chaos to push dangerous settlement plans in the West Bank.

Casualties have been severe on both sides, with over 1,200 deaths in Israel and more than 42,000 killed in Gaza, primarily civilians. Sheikh Tamim reiterated that after so much destruction, Israel will eventually have to agree to a two-state solution as endorsed by the international community.

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