Doha – After the recent Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Arab and Islamic leaders held an emergency summit at Doha on Sept 15, denouncing the act as cowardly and demanding a concerted stand against Israeli aggression.
While the joint communique expressed solidarity with Qatar, individual leaders presented stronger, more actionable proposals.
Unified Condemnation and Defence
The communique of the summit, released by the representatives of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), condemns the illegal attack of the State of Qatar by Israel in the strongest words. It also praised Qatar’s response and mediation role.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, made a vow to roll out a collective defense mechanism. This agreement states that any attack on a member state is an act of war on all.
Consultations are underway among the bloc’s military bodies to build “Gulf deterrent capabilities,” with a meeting of the Unified Military Command scheduled to take place in Doha.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani opened the summit by describing the bombing as “blatant, treacherous, and cowardly” and remarked that it had shown that Israel has “no genuine interest in peace”.
He also cautioned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dreaming of turning the Arab region into “an Israeli sphere of influence”, adding that it “is a dangerous illusion”.
Qatar’s Response
Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari, stated that Qatar would take Israel to account under international law and bodies, such as the UN Security Council.
He further stated that Qatar is collaborating with its allies, such as the United States, to make sure that Prime Minister Netanyahu is discouraged from launching “another attack on sovereign states”.
Calls for Action
Although the official statement of the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha was centered around the joint defense agreement and the overall denunciation of the Israeli attack on Qatar, individual speeches of the various leaders described more aggressive and comprehensive suggestions of how the collective response should be approached.
Call of Economic Pressure from Turkey
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey highlighted the necessity of tangible pressure, saying that the experience of the past has shown the effectiveness of pressure.
He claimed that the government of Israel “continues the massacres and genocide in Palestine” and that the Islamic world possesses the “wisdom and means necessary to thwart Israel’s expansionist ambitions.”
Erdogan urged Muslim countries to step up their diplomatic moves to impose more sanctions on Israel. He also extended the defense expertise of Turkey to Arab and Islamic countries to assist in the construction of their deterrence defense industries.
Pakistan’s Proposal for UN and Regional Action
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, spoke out strongly against the attack, calling it a “flagrant act of violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar”.
He suggested a two-pronged strategy in concerted action.
First, he restated the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) request to suspend Israeli membership in the United Nations.
Second, he urged the formation of an Arab-Islamic task force to take effective action to prevent an Israeli expansionist plot.
He also insisted on the UN Security Council guaranteeing an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Foreign Minister of Pakistan’s Call for a Task Force
Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, attended the preparatory ministerial conference of the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha.
He made a strong condemnation of the Israeli aggression towards Qatar in his address as an attack that was “unprovoked and illegal”.
He emphasized the need to take some immediate action to stop the war crimes in Gaza and encouraged the establishment of an Arab-Islamic task force to stop the so-called hegemonic ambition of Israel in the region.
He also stated that as a “nuclear-powered” nation and a member of the Ummah, Pakistan would “discharge its duty.”
Malaysia’s Call for Sanctions and Severed Ties
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was direct in his evaluation of the scenario, saying that “condemnations will not stop the missiles, declarations will not free Palestine.”
He asked that there should be strict sanctions and a suspension of diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel.
Ibrahim described Israel’s actions as a “reckless provocation” and a “declaration of permanent apartheid.”
Egypt’s Warning on Peace Agreements
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt sent a stern message, warning that Israel’s “uncontrolled behavior will exacerbate the conflict and destabilize the region.”
He said the attack on Qatar was a “grave violation of international law”, which is a danger to the stability in the region.
Most notably, he cautioned that the Israeli actions are likely to destabilize the existing peace deals, including the one between Israel and Egypt, and that the effects on the whole region “will be dire”.
Iran’s Call to Cut Relations
Before attending the summit, the Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, urged Muslim countries to end all collaborations with Israel.
He argued that Israel “recognizes no boundaries or frameworks for its actions” and that it has attacked several Islamic countries.
Pezeshkian emphasized that “if Muslims act as one hand, they will not dare to invade our countries and trample on international laws.”
He expressed hope that the summit would result in tangible action against Israel.
Syrian President’s Remarks
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa remarked that Israel had created a rare precedent by attacking the negotiators and even the mediator state.
He condemned the continued attacks by Israel on Gaza and Syria and proclaimed the complete support of his nation to Qatar and its position on Israeli aggression.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Statement
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas requested that the international community hold Israel responsible, as well as take a tough Arab stance.
Abbas insisted on practical steps to stop further violations and emphasized the necessity to terminate the war in Gaza, to stop forced population movements, and to stop the encroachment of Palestinian land.
Jordan’s Stance at the Summit
King Abdullah II of Jordan once again expressed his support for Qatar, indicating that the security and stability of the Gulf country was a common responsibility with the Arab and Islamic world.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani’s Proposal
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani proposed a NATO style collective security system, indicating that the security of any Arab nation or Islamic nation is part of “our collective security”.
![Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and senior officials gathered for the funeral prayers of 12 martyred soldiers in South Waziristan; Defence Minister questions absence of KP CM. [Courtesy: Khawaja Asif/X].](https://htnworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/G0umoYXWsAAdd1J-1024x768.webp)
