Qatar, US near defense deal after Israeli strike in Doha

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors taxi to the runway at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar on Feb. 1, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Wilkes via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service - DVIDS)

By Simon Lewis, Andrew Mills and Jana Choukeir

DOHA  -  Qatar and the United States are on the verge of finalising an enhanced defence cooperation agreement, top U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio said on Tuesday, after Israel's attack on Hamas political leaders in Doha last week drew widespread condemnation.

"We have a close partnership with the Qataris. In fact, we have an enhanced defence cooperation agreement, which we've been working on, we're on the verge of finalising," Rubio said while departing Tel Aviv for Doha.

 Rubio met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and discussed defence cooperation, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said.

"This (Israeli) attack, of course, expedites the need for a renewed strategic defence agreement between us and the United States. It's not something new per se, but certainly expedited," Al Ansari said in a briefing after Rubio's visit. 

QATAR HOSTS BIGGEST US BASE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The attack in Doha was especially sensitive as Qatar is a close U.S. ally and home to the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East. Qatar has been hosting and mediating ceasefire talks - alongside Egypt - since the Gaza war started nearly two years ago. 

When asked about the mediation efforts in light of the Doha attack, Al Ansari said: "Our focus right now is protecting our sovereignty and we will not look into other issues until this one is resolved."

The Amiri Diwan, or Emir's Office, said in a later statement that the emir discussed with Rubio the future of joint diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and release Israeli hostages held in the enclave, as well as Palestinian prisoners.

The two also discussed the repercussions of the Israeli attack in Doha, the Emir's Office added. 

TRUMP 'UNHAPPY' WITH ISRAELI STRIKE

U.S. President Donald Trump said during a visit to Doha in May that Washington would protect Qatar if it ever came under attack. He said he was not informed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in advance about Israel's attack.

Trump said he was unhappy with Israel's strike, which he described as a unilateral action that did not advance U.S. or Israeli interests.

He sought to assure the Qataris that such attacks would not happen again during a meeting with the Qatari prime minister in New York on Friday.

Rubio called for Qatar to continue its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war, saying there was "a very short window of time in which a deal could happen."

"If any country in the world can help mediate it, Qatar is the one. They're the ones that can do it," Rubio said while departing Tel Aviv for Doha.

Qatar called the Israeli attack "cowardly and treacherous," but said it wouldn't deter it from its role as a mediator, alongside Egypt and the United States.  

Netanyahu threatened to attack Hamas leaders "wherever they are" during a press conference with Rubio on Monday, as the heads of Arab and Islamic states held a summit to back Qatar after Israel's attack last week in the Gulf state.

 (Reporting by Simon Lewis, Writing by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Michael Georgy, Kim Coghill, Lincoln Feast and Sharon Singleton // REUTERS)