-
Netanyahu’s ‘Fire Summit’ in Doha
The Israeli airstrikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar jolted the region, and beyond. For the past two years, Israel has struck targets in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and even deep inside Iran. But Tuesday’s assault on Doha marked an unprecedented breach of the region’s unwritten rules of engagement. The operation, codenamed “Summit of Fire”, was conducted…
-
Doha Strike: Israel’s Entry into the ‘Third Circle’
For the first time, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has pierced the heart of the Gulf. An Israeli airstrike on a building in Doha has redrawn the map of the war and thrust Qatar, Washington’s ally and longtime peace mediator, into the eye of the storm. The strike did not come out of nowhere.…
-
Gulf Security in the Shadow of the Qatar Strike
On May 25, 1981, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was founded in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. At its third summit the following year, in November 1982, the bloc’s Supreme Council approved the creation of the Peninsula Shield Force – a 5,000-strong mechanized infantry brigade drawn from all six member states. The move came against…