A joint session of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), bringing together nearly 60 nations, sought to take decisive action following Israel’s attack on Hamas officials in Qatar while discussing a Gaza ceasefire proposal. The summit was co-sponsored by Pakistan.
A joint statement from the meeting urged “all states to take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people,” including “reviewing diplomatic and economic relations with it, and initiating legal proceedings against it.” Among the attendees were nations that recognize Israel, such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco. Notably, the leaders of the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, who signed the Abraham Accords five years ago, did not attend Monday’s talks, sending senior representatives instead. The statement also called on member states to “coordinate efforts aimed at suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to arrive in Qatar on Tuesday, after a visit to Israel where he pledged “unwavering support” for its goal of eradicating Hamas. The strike in Doha has strained Washington’s ties with key Gulf allies, raising concerns about U.S. security guarantees in a region that houses major American military assets, including a key base in Qatar.
The emir of the host country, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, accused Israel of attempting to derail ceasefire talks by targeting Hamas negotiators in Qatar. He told the summit that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “dreams of turning the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence, and this is a dangerous illusion.”
Several prominent leaders attended the summit, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Iran’s president urged Muslim countries to cut ties with Israel.
In his address to the summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed the formation of a task force to counter Israeli aggression and expansionism. He condemned the attack on Doha as a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Qatar” and said it was a deliberate attempt to undermine peace efforts in the Middle East. He also called for the suspension of Israel’s membership in the United Nations and other punitive measures.
On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz also held a bilateral meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the situation. A government statement confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz strongly condemned Israel’s actions and termed them a deliberate attempt to derail peace efforts.
