Doha — In the wake of Israel’s September 9 airstrike on Qatari soil, leaders from across the Arab and Islamic world assembled in Doha for an emergency summit that quickly turned into a platform for collective outrage and strategic recalibration.
The summit, hosted by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was convened after an Israeli missile strike targeted a residence housing Hamas negotiators. The attack killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, and was widely condemned as a violation of sovereignty and international law.
Emir Tamim opened the summit with a sharp rebuke of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of trying to “bring the Arab world under Israeli influence” and deliberately sabotaging ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking both at the summit and in a sideline meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, called the strike “brazen” and “premeditated.” He urged Islamic nations to sever ties with Israel, describing it as a “fake country” and warning that no Arab capital is immune to Israeli aggression.
BBC Urdu reported that Pezeshkian emphasized the need for unity among Islamic nations and expressed hope that the summit would “reach some conclusion” on coordinated action against Israel.
Saudi Press Agency confirmed that the Saudi and Iranian leaders discussed the airstrike privately, marking a rare moment of strategic alignment between the two regional powers.
The summit’s tone was fiery, with leaders from Malaysia, Turkey, and Egypt demanding tougher measures. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared, “Condemnations will not stop the missiles. Declarations will not free Palestine”.
Despite the strong rhetoric, the summit’s final communiqué stopped short of announcing direct sanctions. Instead, it urged member states to take “all possible legal and effective measures” to prevent further Israeli aggression.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held a parallel meeting and pledged to activate joint defense mechanisms, though no specifics were disclosed.
As the dust settles, the Doha summit has become a defining moment in the region’s response to Israeli military actions. While concrete steps remain elusive, the unified tone signals a shift in how Islamic nations may confront future provocations.