Pakistan hits out at Israel for invoking bin Laden raid to justify Doha strike

A heated exchange erupted at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday as Pakistan denounced Israel for invoking the U.S. raid on Osama bin Laden to justify its recent strike in Doha, an attack widely condemned for escalating tensions across the Middle East.

The confrontation unfolded during an emergency UNSC session on the “Situation in the Middle East,” called at the request of Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia, with support from France and the United Kingdom. The meeting followed Israel’s attempt to target Hamas political leaders in Qatar.

The Council condemned the attack in Doha but avoided naming Israel, highlighting deep divisions within the chamber, particularly in light of Washington’s close ties with Tel Aviv.

Israel invokes bin Laden raid

Defending the Doha operation, Israeli Ambassador Danny Dannon argued that there is “no sanctuary for terrorists.”

“There is no immunity for terrorists. History will not be kind to accomplices. Either Qatar condemns Hamas, expels Hamas and brings Hamas to justice, or Israel will,” he warned.

In his remarks, Dannon compared the strike in Doha to the 2011 U.S. operation in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden.

“When bin Laden was eliminated in Pakistan, the question asked was not why target a terrorist on foreign soil. The question was why was a terrorist given shelter at all. The same question must be asked today. There’s no immunity for bin Laden and there can be no immunity for Hamas,” he said.

Pakistan fires back

Pakistan immediately exercised its right of reply, with Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad blasting the Israeli analogy as “unacceptable, indeed ludicrous.”

“It is unacceptable, indeed, ludicrous, for an aggressor, an occupier, a serial violator of UN Charter and international law - that is Israel - to abuse this chamber and disrespect the sanctity of this Council,” Ahmad told the 15-member body.

He accused Israel of deflecting attention from its own actions: “By pointing fingers on others, baseless assertions, primarily aimed at masking its own illegal actions and violations of international law.”

In a broader rebuke, Ahmad painted Israel as an occupying power that has long ignored global institutions and international rulings.

“It (Israel) is an occupier that does not listen to anyone; that does not pay heed to any advice, even from its friends, if there are any left; that refutes, and not just refutes, it threatens members of the international community, international media, international human rights and humanitarian organizations, doesn’t listen to the ICJ or the ICC, and threatens the UN and its senior officials; and it does that with impunity.

“Shielded by its apologists, who time and again acquiesce in its illegal actions and defiance of the international community. And like all occupiers, despite being the aggressor, it feigns and plays the victim, but today, it is totally exposed.”

On the bin Laden reference, Ahmad was equally firm.

“About the unrelated bin Laden incident and his misleading remarks regarding Pakistan, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said he did so in an effort to justify its own illegal actions and violations of international law. In fact, he rejected the false analogy. Pakistan’s position on that incident has been clearly stated and is publicly available.”

He went on to stress Pakistan’s counterterrorism record: “The international community is well aware of Pakistan’s frontline role and sacrifices in the international community’s fight against terrorism. The entire world, including our partners, acknowledges that Al Qaeda was largely decimated due to Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts. And we remained committed in this global, collective endeavor.

“That is, in fact, the perpetrator of the worst kind of state terrorism that we are witnessing in Gaza, and in fact, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for decades,” Ahmad added. “For whatever way it interprets these statements in this Council, the occupying power must go back and read carefully the statement issued by the Security Council today.”

Israel doubles down

Responding again after Pakistan’s rebuttal, Dannon returned to the floor with a defiant clarification.

“Maybe he was offended by my words and I apologize for that, but I make sure my speeches stick to facts. And the fact is Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, and no one condemned the US for that. When other countries attack terrorists, no one condemns them either.

“You cannot change the fact that 9/11 happened, and you cannot change the fact that Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan and was killed on your territory. When you criticize us - and I’m sure you will continue - think about the standards you apply to your country and the standards you apply to Israel.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan also condemned the strikes on Qatar, calling them a violation of its sovereignty and security. He said Pakistan

stands firmly with Qatar and urged the international community to hold Israel accountable under international law and the UN Charter.