Whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a scripted apology to Qatar is a speculation that erupted after the White House circulated a stark black-and-white photograph showing US President Donald Trump gripping the phone while Netanyahu appeared to read carefully from a page.
Captured in the Oval Office on Monday, the image is said to depict Netanyahu's conversation with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
US officials said the call was set up at Trump's insistence during his meeting with Netanyahu. During the exchange, the Israeli leader apologised for the airstrike targeting Hamas officials in Doha.
The September 9 strike killed five people, including the son of senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya. Although Trump initially denied having advance knowledge of the operation, he was reportedly enraged that Netanyahu acted unilaterally.
In a tense phone call with Netanyahu, Trump branded the strike "not wise" and cautioned that unilateral moves threatened fragile diplomatic efforts in the region. Qatar, which has served as a mediator in ceasefire discussions alongside Egypt, denounced the bombing as "cowardly" and an outright violation of international law.
Netanyahu, however, maintained he acted because of a narrow window of opportunity.
When the Israeli leader arrived in Washington, Trump pressed him into a three-way call to ease frictions. Netanyahu conveyed "deep regret" to his Qatari counterpart, admitted the breach of sovereignty, and promised there would be no repeat.
What the photograph reveals is striking. Trump, one of Netanyahu's closest allies, reduced him to a position of compliance. With his head bent, Netanyahu is shown voicing contrition and assurances under Trump's eye.
The apology also carried a strategic motive. Qatar had pulled back from mediating after the strike. By pressing Netanyahu into an overt apology, Trump appeared intent on repairing relations and restoring Doha's role in the delicate negotiations.
Trump also signed an executive order where he has pledged to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States' own security.
"The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States," the order said.
"In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures - including diplomatic, economic and, if necessary, military - to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability."
The document said top US defence and intelligence officials will maintain contingency planning with Qatar to ensure a rapid response to any attacks.
