Emergency Summit in Doha Addresses Israeli Strikes
At an urgent summit in Doha, Qatar, Iranian President Masuud Pezeshkian met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He emphasized that Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim nations hold a “very heavy responsibility” to prevent what he described as Israel’s “aggression.” This gathering followed an Israeli airstrike that targeted a terrorist leader residing in a luxurious area of Doha, which occurred just the week before.
The summit involved representatives from the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which saw around 60 attendees. They convened in response to Israeli actions against a senior Hamas figure who had connections to attacks against Israeli civilians back in October 2023.
Pezeshkian expressed that if Islamic nations could unite, Israel would “not dare to attack or invade Muslim countries.” He noted that Saudi Arabia has a vital role to play in fostering unity among Islamic states.
In discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Pezeshkian advocated for a concerted approach among Islamic nations to address what he referred to as “sparrow crimes” by Israel, urging immediate action and unified decisions.
Interestingly, Pezeshkian appeared less forceful than Iranian media had suggested. Many participants did share frustration regarding Israeli airstrikes, but responses to Iran’s more aggressive rhetoric were somewhat muted.
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, took a prominent stance against the Israeli strike, describing it as “unfair and reckless.” He criticized Israel for targeting spaces that were crucial for negotiations and questioned the validity of negotiating for peace while continuing military actions.
He stated, “Negotiations between Israel and Hamas were close to achieving results with help from Egypt and the U.S. Yet, Israel seems keen on perpetuating conflict,” reflecting the broader concern about the ongoing tensions.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during the summit, showed solidarity with Qatar against the recent Israeli offensive. Despite Pezeshkian’s provocative language regarding Israel, there was a noticeable lack of enthusiasm among attendees for escalating tensions.
Participants uniformly criticized Israel’s intensified military actions in Gaza, particularly lamenting the strikes in Qatar. Yet, there was less focus on condemning Qatar for harboring leaders of militant groups. Following al-Thani’s remarks, some leaders hinted at dissatisfaction with Israel’s actions.
Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, from the Gulf Cooperation Council, expressed hopes that the U.S. could leverage its influence to intervene and halt these aggressive actions by Israel.
The summit, notably timed on the fifth anniversary of the Abraham Accords—an agreement intended to promote peace between Israel and Arab states—saw the absence of leaders from the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, who opted for lower-ranking representatives.
The joint statement issued did condemn Israeli strikes but lacked the intensity Iran had likely hoped for. Instead, it called for both the Arab League and the OIC to take diplomatic measures to prevent further Israeli actions against Palestinians.
Arab League deputy director Hosam Zaki noted that while member states were encouraged to consider their diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, this suggestion held no binding power.
In a different context, observers noted that Syrian President Ahmed Arshara may have benefitted significantly from the summit by leveraging discussions with various leaders, potentially garnering support for Syria’s needs on a global platform.
