Netanyahu likens Qatar raid to bin Laden Op

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday defended Israel's recent targeted strikes in Qatar against Hamas leadership by drawing a parallel with the United States' response against Al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks.

In a video message on the eve of the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Netanyahu slammed international condemnation of the air strikes, in which at least six people died in the Qatari capital, Doha, which also hosts a US base – the largest in the Middle East.

"We did exactly what America did when it went after Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan, and when they killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. Now the various countries of the world condemn Israel – they should be ashamed of themselves," Netanyahu said in the message. However, this was not the only reference to Pakistan. "What did they do after America took out Osama Bin Laden? Did they say, 'Oh, what a terrible thing was done to Pakistan'? No, they applauded. They should applaud Israel for standing for these same principles and carrying them out," he said.