Palestinian statehood debate: Israel's Gaza campaign sends message to Arab world ahead of summit

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israeli attention has turned sharply toward Doha as regional leaders convene to discuss a unified response following Israel's failed attempt to target Hamas leadership.

From the city of David in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasized the close coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv, despite the United States' opposition to Israel's decision to conduct the operation in Doha.

Images of Rubio during his visit to Jerusalem underscored the message of rejecting a Palestinian state regardless of Arab or international decisions, while Israel continues to assert sovereignty and expand settlements with U.S. support and strategic partnership.

Israeli ministers have escalated threats toward the Palestinian Authority, advancing settlement projects and tightening financial constraints on Palestinian institutions, further tightening the financial and operational constraints on Palestinian governance in response to the Doha summit. These moves are seen as a direct response to the Doha summit and upcoming United Nations General Assembly discussions on Palestinian state recognition.

Meanwhile, Israel has escalated military operations in Gaza, showcasing strikes and the destruction of buildings. Domestic protests have grown, criticizing Israel's strategy in light of the Doha summit and international moves toward Palestinian state recognition. 

The tensions intensified following Israeli Defense Minister announcements that more than 82,000 Israeli soldiers have been wounded during the Al-Aqsa Flood war.