Yesterday morning, the BBC and its grizzled Chief Foreign Editor, Jeremy Bowen, came to a simplistic, inaccurate, and naïve, conclusion following the attack by Israel on the Hamas headquarters in Qatar.

You would have believed, listening to the BBC, that the United States unreservedly condemns Israel. Selective quotes were taken from President Trump to support this.

The reality is that, following the attack, not only did President Trump say that the hostages held by Hamas have to be released, but – in an earlier post on Truth Social – he had made it clear that the destruction of Hamas has to be the final goal. Some days ago he also made it plain that if Hamas did not reach a swift agreement, they would face retribution. That has now come to pass and followed the terror attack in Jerusalem.

However, the United States has its largest Middle East base in Qatar. It is in the interests of both the US and Qatar within that Gulf state that they are not seen to support Israel in its fight against Iranian backed terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Yet Qatar and all the Gulf States, which are predominantly Sunni, fear Shi’ite Iran. So diplomacy sees President Trump apparently condemning Israel while in reality wishing to see the destruction of Hamas and giving Israel tacit support.

It also has to be said that Qatar has been playing both sides of the field. Not only are they a bulwark against Iran, they have been giving financial support to Hamas and other terror organisations in order to buy their own safety.  These payments of Danegeld could not be expected to continue with impunity.

Two nights ago a punishment was meted out.