India Condemns Attack on Qatar, Calls for Upholding Sovereignty at UNHRC

At the U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday, India defended Qatar's sovereignty.  Speaking to a meeting of the UNHRC in Geneva, Permanent Representative Arindam Bagchi of the Government of India mentioned the Israeli bombing of Doha on September 9 and declared that India "unequivocally" condemns the attack on Qatar.

“India is deeply concerned about the recent attacks in Doha and their impact on the security situation in the region. We unequivocally condemn the violation of the sovereignty of Qatar. Such actions threaten peace, stability, and security not only in the region but across the world,” said Bagchi in his statement, which, however, did not name Israel. 

India’s reiteration of its position on the Israeli strike on Qatar came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he called Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani ,and said, “India condemns the violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly state of Qatar. We support resolution of issues through dialogue and diplomacy, and avoiding escalation.”

According to The Hindu, Bagchi highlighted the importance of sovereignty in international affairs and said, “India firmly believes that differences must be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy, in full conformity with the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Any escalation must be avoided, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States must be upheld.”

Israel’s Strike on Doha

Israel targeted Hamas's main political leader, Khaled Meshal, and the Hamas negotiating delegation in Doha on September 9. 

Following this, Qatar stepped up its international outreach and sponsored an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on September 15 that was attended by representatives of the 57 OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) member states as well as chiefs of state.  The OIC said after the conference that the incident was an effort to interfere with Qatar's efforts to halt the war in Gaza.

“The leaders valued the vital role that Qatar continues to play in mediation efforts in the region, and emphasised that the aggression against Qatari territory represents a serious escalation and a desperate Israeli attempt to undermine Qatari diplomatic efforts to achieve peace,” said Youssef Al-Dobeay, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs of the OIC.