Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, said on Tuesday Israel deliberately chose to expand what he called its “aggression” to implement pre-planned schemes in the West Bank and Lebanon.

Israel had done so “because it sees that the scope for that is available,” he said in his annual speech to open the Shura Council.

The Council has legislative authority and approves general state policies and the budget, but has no say in the setting of defense, security, economic and investment policy for the small but wealthy gas producer, which bans political parties.

Amendments to Qatar’s constitution will be proposed by the Shura Council and put to a popular referendum vote, Qatar’s Emir added.