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After the Doha attack, an adviser said that the UAE president's Gulf trip seeks coordination.

His diplomatic advisor said that the tour by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates to Gulf countries was meant to coordinate positions following Tuesday's Israeli assault on Hamas leaders at Doha.

Anwar Gargash wrote in a blog post that "the President's Gulf Tour reflects a profound conviction in strengthening cooperation and coordination, and reinforcing a concept of a shared destiny."

Israel tried to kill Hamas leaders on Tuesday in an airstrike in Qatar's capital. This escalating military campaign in the Middle East prompted a wave of international condemnation.

Sheikh Mohammed is the first head-of-state to visit Doha since the attack. He has also visited Bahrain and Oman.

Qatar's official news agency announced earlier Thursday that Doha would host an urgent Arab-Islamic Summit next Sunday and on Monday to discuss Israel's attack. The UAE's Foreign Ministry condemned Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about Qatar in a separate press release. It stressed that any attack against a Gulf State was an attack against "the collective Gulf Security Framework."

On Wednesday, Netanyahu warned Qatar to "either expel Hamas representatives or bring them to justice because if we don't do it, then you will". He also accused Qatari of providing safe-haven and funding to Hamas. Doha responded with a harsh rebuke.

The UAE is a major oil exporter and regional hub for trade and commerce with diplomatic influence across the Middle East. In 2020, the Abraham Accords, negotiated by the United States, led to a normalisation agreement between Israel and the UAE. This opened the door to close economic and security ties, including defence cooperation.

(source: Reuters)