Kushner Calls 2025 Israeli Strike in Qatar 'Terrible,' Isolating Israel

Jared Kushner, former advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, described a September 2025 Israeli strike in Doha, Qatar, as "terrible" and militarily ineffective during a video conference in Kyiv. Kushner stated that the strike not only failed to achieve its military objectives but also significantly worsened Israel's international isolation.

According to Kushner, the Trump administration leveraged Israel's weakened diplomatic position following the strike to increase its negotiating leverage. The U.S. intensified pressure on Israeli leaders to make concessions necessary for a Gaza agreement, which initially met Israeli reluctance. Kushner asserted that Israel now views the resulting agreement more favorably, benefiting the population of Gaza through a new governance structure expected to gain responsibilities as demilitarization progresses.

Kushner emphasized that the Doha strike alone did not cause this evolution, crediting months of prior U.S. diplomatic groundwork. He explained that the crisis created by the Israeli operation provided an "opportunity window" that was only exploitable due to this preceding diplomatic effort.

Kushner's candid criticism of an Israeli military operation is unusual for someone close to Trump. His analysis suggests Washington viewed the Doha strike not just as a tactical failure but as a significant strategic cost that weakened Israel internationally. This diplomatic vulnerability, paradoxically, enhanced U.S. influence over Israeli decisions, making the Doha episode a turning point that led to accelerated negotiations and a new political configuration in Gaza.