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Why Israel's Strike Against Hamas Was Both Justified and Overdue

(Middle East Forum) Gregg Roman - The Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar marked a restoration of moral clarity. For nearly two years since the Oct. 7 massacres, Hamas's leadership had orchestrated genocide from the comfort of Qatari luxury hotels, protected by the fiction of diplomatic immunity and the shield of a supposed American ally. Those who plan mass murder cannot claim sanctuary anywhere on earth. This attack should have happened years ago. Qatar provided an extraterritorial sanctuary where its leadership could direct operations, manage finances, and plan attacks while remaining physically removed from consequences. This arrangement represents a perversion of both warfare and diplomacy that no civilized nation should tolerate. When Qatar transformed itself into a command center for terrorism, it challenged the fundamental architecture of international order. When those who order atrocities remain immune from their consequences, this incentivizes maximum violence with minimum personal risk. Israel's strike restored the principle that those who choose war must share its dangers. By demonstrating that Hamas leaders were vulnerable even in the heart of a wealthy Gulf capital, Israel restored the element of personal risk that constrains extremist behavior. The message was: choose terror, and you choose to live as a target, regardless of which government provides your refuge. The writer is executive director of the Middle East Forum.
2025-09-11 00:00:00
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