Arab and Muslim leaders convened in Doha on Monday for an emergency joint session of the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), calling for a review of ties with Israel following last week’s deadly strike on Hamas officials in Qatar.
The meeting, co-sponsored by Pakistan, brought together representatives from nearly 60 countries and issued a strong joint statement urging states to consider suspending diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, initiating legal proceedings, and coordinating efforts to suspend its UN membership.
The Doha summit marked a rare display of unity, with leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in attendance.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani accused Israel of deliberately undermining ceasefire negotiations by striking Hamas negotiators on Qatari soil, calling it part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “dangerous illusion” of turning the Arab world into an Israeli sphere of influence.
PM Shehbaz strongly condemned the Israeli attack, describing it as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and a deliberate attempt to derail peace efforts.
He proposed the formation of an Arab-Islamic task force to counter Israeli expansionism and reiterated Pakistan’s call for suspending Israel’s UN membership.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also pressed for urgent collective action, including accountability for war crimes, humanitarian access in Gaza, and a revived political process for a two-state solution.
The summit unfolded as tensions deepened between Washington and Gulf allies. US President Donald Trump initially criticized Israel’s strike but later softened his tone, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged “unwavering support” for Israel during his visit to Qatar.
With pressure mounting over the Gaza crisis, the summit’s outcomes signaled growing regional determination to challenge Israeli actions and coordinate a unified Muslim and Arab response.
