It was the Wong thing to do. Australia’s Foreign Minister, battle-hardened in the vicious wars that she has fought over many decades in student and caucus politics, condemned Israel’s strike on Qatar for violating Qatar’s sovereignty, pointing out that Qatar is a US ally, and ‘has been the country so involved in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages’, warning that the attack ‘imperils’ a potential ceasefire and the ‘threat of wider escalation now looms’.

When asked by a journalist whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ‘lost the plot’ and what she thought the ‘end game’ was for him, she said, she thought that was ‘a very good question’ because all she and so many other countries around the world want is a ‘ceasefire’.

Once again, Wong failed to explain how she and her fellow international peaceniks would induce Hamas to surrender its weapons and ride off into the sunset other than through military defeat.

One country that wants to give peace a chance is France. President Emmanuel Macron was outraged at the Israeli strikes that were unacceptable, ‘whatever the reason’. It was a different story, of course, when France unleashed airstrikes of its own, bombing Isis in Iraq and Syria, or jihadists in Libya, Niger and Mali. Macron declared ‘solidarity with Qatar and its Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani’.

In early August, France deported Nour Atallah, a 25-year-old Gazan student, for her social media posts praising Adolf Hitler, calling for people to ‘Kill the Jews everywhere’ because she doesn’t want ‘Jewish descendants on this Earth’ and supporting violent action against the Hamas hostages.’ Which country was happy to accept her? Qatar, of course. Perhaps Al Thani, Atallah and Macron can all sing ‘Solidarity forever’ on his next visit to Doha.

Back in Australia, the Greens couldn’t even bring themselves to say that Israel’s strike was an attempt to eliminate the Hamas leadership, referring to the targets as ‘hostage negotiators’ as if they were goodhearted, honest brokers rather than the architects of the 7 October massacre who ordered the hostage-taking, starving, and torturing.

The Greens preferred to highlight that the strike came ‘just hours’ after an ‘aerial attack’ on Greta Thunberg’s flotilla, which Tunisian authorities say was a fire caused by a cigarette smoked by one of Greta’s chums.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the strike was a ‘step too far’ and the fact that Israel was targeting the Hamas leadership ‘doesn’t make it right’. He didn’t explain why not?

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash at least supported ongoing efforts to dismantle Hamas and free the hostages held in Gaza, but said unilaterally bombing Qatar, a ‘close’ ally of America does not advance Israel or America’s goals.

But is that true? Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan said categorically, ‘The strike in Doha brings the defeat of Hamas closer. Strategically, it also sends an important warning to Qatar and other countries hitherto willing to harbour jihadists and fund their regional and global terrorism. It makes the world a safer place.’

Certainly, when the US assassinated Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, Western nations didn’t condemn it as a violation of Pakistani sovereignty. The main difference between these countries, which both shelter and fund terrorists, is that Qatar is an ally and Pakistan is not. The question is why do we accept Qatar as an ally?

As Michael Dickson, the British-Israeli head of Stand With Us, an international advocacy group that combats antisemitism on campuses, said: ‘The question shouldn’t be: “Why did Israel take out Hamas terrorist leaders in Qatar?” The question should be: “Why is Qatar harbouring Hamas terrorist leaders?”’

Qatar has been rolling out the red carpet for everyone from Al Qaeda’s Khaled Sheikh Mohammed to Isis to Hamas for decades. How is it that the West is apoplectic when Israel builds houses in the West Bank, but has nothing to say when Qatar draws down on oceans of blood money to bankroll the destruction of Israel and the genocide of Jews, as articulated by model Gazan student Atallah?

Why does the West nod politely when FIFA hands Qatar the World Cup, and the International Olympic Committee flirts with letting Qatar host the 2036 Games? Nothing says ‘peace and brotherhood through sport’ like staging the Olympics in a state that sponsors Jewish genocide on the centenary of Hitler’s Berlin Olympics.

A satirical song about the luxury life of the Hamas elite in Doha was made after 7 October 2023. It features Mousa Abu Marzook, deputy chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, Khaled Mashaal, Leader of the Hamas Diaspora Office, and Ismail Haniyeh, Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, with estimates of their net worth in billions of dollars. The thugs in pale linen suits throw around dollar bills while singing, ‘I cannot believe what we have brought on Gaza, thank Allah we are safe in Doha Plaza. They have nothing left to eat, like a Ramadan retreat, I really don’t give a sh-t, cause I’m hanging in my suite… call Mia Khalifa (a porn star), to play with us some FIFA, and tell her to dress like she’s a nurse from Shifa. … Donate us money, my dog needs more Armani, Gaza’s sky is black, but Qatar is always sunny. Knocking on the door, F–k, it’s the Mossad, Chill ya Bab, I ordered sushi avocad.’ It has been viewed 100,000 times in the last 24 hours with the note, ‘Party’s over, Ham-ssholes.’

It is not clear whether the Hamas leadership has been killed, but the pro-Israeli reaction online has been jubilant. For the fourth time in less than a year, Israel has lured its enemies into a ‘safe space’ and killed them. Everyone’s favourite is ‘the Grim Beeper op’, with one pundit commenting that after Covid, we’re all a bit sick of meeting by Zoom. Another shared a picture of Jeremy Corbyn with the caption: ‘That’s odd, I was meant to join a meeting in Qatar via Zoom but nobody is answering.’ A satirical site, carried a fake headline that read: ‘After Qatar Drops Out, Only Arab Country Willing To Mediate On Behalf Of Hamas Is Dearborn, Michigan.’ And Tucker Carlson, scorned for his pro-Qatar interviews, featured in a range of memes wailing.

The humour works because it reveals the uncomfortable truth. Qatar is the Hotel Jihad  – a state sponsor of terror barely bothering to conceal itself behind the mask of modernity. Israel has finally reminded the world that if the US won’t evict these bloodthirsty guests, Israel will check them out – permanently. The party in Doha is over.