International condemnation after Israel strikes Qatar
ISRAEL STRIKES DOHA
Israel has carried out a strike on Qatar’s capital Doha, in what it says was an attack against Hamas’ leadership.
Hamas said on Tuesday its negotiating team was targeted in the attack but survived. Qatar has acted as a mediator, along with Egypt, in attempts to secure a ceasefire in Israel’s war in Gaza.
“We confirm the enemy’s failure to assassinate our brothers in the negotiating delegation,” the BBC quotes Hamas as saying.
The statement said six other people were killed and the strike “confirms beyond doubt that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his government do not want to reach any agreement” for peace.
“We hold the US administration jointly responsible with the occupation for this crime, due to its ongoing support for the aggression and crimes of the occupation against our people,” Hamas added.
The White House confirmed on Tuesday that it had been notified of the attack ahead of time, CNN reports. The Trump administration said the US president “immediately directed” special envoy Steve Witkoff to inform Qatar, “which he did”. However, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson has said the country was not notified ahead of the strike.
The ABC reports the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and intelligence agency Shin Bet said that those targeted in Doha “were directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre”.
Netanyahu said during an address at the US Embassy in Jerusalem: “On this day, as in previous days, Israel acted wholly independently, wholly independently, and we take full responsibility for this action. This action can open the door to an end of the war, end of the war in Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Qatar has condemned the action as “cowardly”. A spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry said the attack constitutes a “blatant violation” of international law as well as a “serious threat” to those in the country, the BBC reports.
“The state of Qatar strongly condemns this attack, and affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the continuous tampering with the security of the region and any action aimed at its security and sovereignty,” the statement said.
The Guardian reports White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the last couple of hours: “This morning the Trump administration was notified by the US military that Israel was attacking Hamas, which unfortunately was located in a section of Doha, the capital of Qatar.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar — a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace — does not advance Israel or America’s goals. However, eliminating Hamas — who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza — is a worthy goal.”
The White House added that Trump believes “this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace” and that he had spoken to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and assured them “that such a thing will not happen again on their soil”.
The ABC reports United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres condemned Israel’s strike as a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar”. Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iran, Türkiye, Egypt, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates have also released statements condemning the strikes.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in his statement: “I condemn Israel’s strikes on Doha, which violate Qatar’s sovereignty and risk further escalation across the region. The priority must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a huge surge in aid into Gaza. This is the only solution towards long-lasting peace.” Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron declared: “Today’s Israeli strikes on Qatar are unacceptable, whatever the reason.”
At the time of writing, the Australian government had yet to comment on Israel’s actions.
Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s international editor, wrote on the broadcaster’s live blog on Tuesday: “Today’s strike is Israel’s answer to any suggestion that its latest offensive in Gaza was designed to put Hamas under pressure to accept a deal to get the hostages back quickly.
“Now, it’s clear that’s not the case. Israel is going full steam ahead on all fronts. It certainly shows that Israel has given up on talks.”
ALBANESE AT PACIFIC TALKS
Today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will join Pacific leaders in the Solomon Islands for significant talks expected to be dominated by regional security and climate finance.
Albanese has said Australia will pursue a “resilient, sovereign and connected region” during the 54th Pacific Islands Forum in Honiara, AAP reports.
As we mentioned yesterday, Pacific leaders are expected to endorse a treaty to establish a new climate finance fund called the Pacific Resilience Facility. Meanwhile, AAP adds: “The ‘Ocean of Peace’ declaration, a Fiji-led agreement intended to spell out collective high-level principles to underpin lasting peace and security across the entire region, is also expected to feature in the multi-day summit.”
Albanese missed the first day of the forum to head to Vanuatu in the hope of signing a $500 million security pact. As was well-documented yesterday, that did not happen.
Guardian Australia reckons the Albanese government is now “racing to save” the agreement after Albanese’s plans to sign it yesterday “were rebuffed over concerns about infrastructure funding from China”.
For his part, Albanese said he was confident the Nakamal Agreement would be “able to be signed soon”.
On the theme of negotiations still to be concluded, The Australian Financial Review reports Trade Minister Don Farrell has warned Australian companies not to count on the PM getting tariff relief from US President Donald Trump if he does finally manage to get that face-to-face meeting later this month.
“I think that although Australia has the lowest tariff of any country in the world, that this may now be the new baseline that the American government is going to establish. No country is going to get lower than 10%, and many of our competitors are going to get higher,” Farrell said at the Financial Review Asia Summit in Sydney.
“The prime minister has raised the issues of critical minerals with the United States. We think we have something to offer the United States in return for reducing those tariffs … But I don’t think anybody should think that this is going to be easy to resolve.”
The ABC also highlighted the state of relations yesterday, reporting: “Thousands of Australians living in the US could find it tougher to extend their stay in America after the Trump administration suddenly issued new visa rules on the weekend.”
ON A LIGHTER NOTE…
Dozens of dogs have taken part in an annual surfing competition in California.
Reuters has footage of the 20th Dog Surf-A-Thon at San Diego’s Del Mar Dog Beach on Sunday, and it does not disappoint.
The yearly event raises funds for orphaned pets supported by the Helen Woodward Animal Centre, euronews reports.
“Among the competitors was James Wall with his dog Faith, rescued as a pup, who has competed for 13 years and won last year. Wall said their surfing partnership often lifts spirits, recalling messages from people who said seeing Faith on a surfboard brightened their day,” the broadcaster adds.
Video of Faith surfing will definitely improve your day.
Say What?
She should apologise for the hurt that has been caused, and her own colleagues are saying that. But even more importantly, leaders in the community are asking for that as well.
Anthony Albanese
The prime minister was keen to keep the fallout from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s comments ticking along on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Guardian Australia reports prominent conservatives are now “rallying around” Price as the Nine papers highlight the NSW Coalition has apologised to Indian community and business leaders for her comments, and The Australian rather undersells the crisis by saying the “factional infighting continues”.
CRIKEY RECAP
Australia to force porn websites to check users’ ages under new internet rules
Australia will require pornography websites to check all users’ ages and restrict access to only proven adults under a set of new internet rules registered by the eSafety commissioner.
On Tuesday, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant officially registered six regulations for various internet industries, including websites, social media platforms and app stores, which are set to come into effect six months from now. One of these regulations, known as the “designated internet services” industry code, which was drafted by the industry itself, establishes enforceable rules under the Online Safety Act for most websites and apps that aren’t considered social media.
Providers of “pornography websites, gore websites, and/or pro-suicide websites that contain sexually explicit, shocking, violent and/or high-impact self-harm end-user generated content, that qualifies as online pornography, high-impact violence or self-harm material” will now have a minimum age requirement.
Journalism according to Lachlan Murdoch, as he wins News Corp succession battle
The saga, for now, is over.
Rupert Murdoch has succeeded in leaving control of his sprawling media empire with his eldest son Lachlan. The court case that saw the Murdoch patriarch attempt to amend his family’s trust began in Nevada last year and saw Rupert and Lachlan pitted against three other Murdoch siblings. It’s now been settled, with Lachlan and Rupert getting their favoured outcome, and Prudence, Elisabeth and James getting US$1.1 billion each to ease the pain.
What does this mean for the future of the Murdoch empire, as Donald Trump’s second administration takes its full, increasingly terrifying shape?
Meanjin mumblings, Albo’s podcast parlay, and Trump masterfully pisses off absolutely everyone
Meanwhile, with Meanjin staff being made redundant, it appears MUP or Melbourne University is posting from Meanjin’s social media pages, such as this Instagram post thanking everyone for the “outpouring of support”. But as Catriona Menzies-Pike wrote for Crikey yesterday, sentiment among the literary industry is more “shock and disgust”.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Labor wants fewer FOIs. Crikey wants more — let us file them for you (Crikey)
Nepal Parliament set on fire after PM resigns over anti-corruption protests (BBC)
Victoria has tabled treaty legislation in an Australian first. Here’s what you need to know about the bill (Guardian Australia)
Kerry Stokes hit with $13.5m legal bill for Roberts-Smith court fight (The Sydney Morning Herald) ($)
Macron appoints Sébastien Lecornu as France’s new prime minister (The Financial Times) ($)
Higgins ordered to pay 80% of defamation case costs (AFR)
THE COMMENTARIAT
Captain Lachlan may be News Corp’s master and commander but troubled waters lie ahead — Michael Koziol (The Age): Michael Socolow, a media historian at the University of Maine, said the Murdochs’ settlement was not at all surprising and reflected what the patriarch had always clearly wanted.
“It was always a long shot that the person in control of the company, Rupert Murdoch, would suddenly go for radical change. And this just confirms that the radical change won’t happen,” he said. “Lachlan Murdoch’s greatest challenge was never going to be from his siblings. It was always going to be Fox News’ new competitors to their right and the precipitous decline in cable news subscriptions.”
Those challenges are now his to deal with — and his alone.
Should Sussan Ley extend the apology to Indian community that Jacinta Price refuses to give? — Michelle Grattan (The Conversation): Ley is not inclined to take that option. It would be coming in over the top of a colleague. It might also anger her factional opponents, although others would see it as a mark of strength and willingness to deploy her authority.
With the controversy still spiralling, a direct apology by Ley to the Indian community could at least be one possible suture to the wound.
There are mixed feelings about Price in the Nationals, from which she defected in an unsuccessful bid to become a future deputy opposition leader.
