Overview

• Politico reported, citing anonymous sources, that the White House drafted the apology and directed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver it to Qatar’s leader from the Oval Office with Qatari coordination.
• Netanyahu’s office rejected the report as fake news and said the wording was set by the prime minister and his team.
• A Qatari official described as close to Qatar’s prime minister attended the call at the U.S. team’s invitation, a detail Netanyahu’s office confirmed.
• The apology followed Israel’s September 9 strike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders that killed a Qatari security officer, after which Qatar conditioned resuming mediation on an apology and is now engaged in talks underway in Egypt.
• One day after the call, President Donald Trump issued security guarantees to Qatar, while the apology drew criticism inside Israel, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling it a national disgrace.