Arab leaders convene to consider a response to Israel’s strike in Qatar.
The Egyptian president stated that the Israeli attack jeopardized diplomatic relations that Israel had worked hard to develop over the course of several years, while certain Arab officials are advocating for concrete, albeit non-military, action against Israel.
Following an emergency summit, Arab and Muslim heads of state expressed their anger on Monday at Israel for launching an aerial assault last week in Qatar, which targeted Hamas authorities, but the country was unable to decide on any retaliatory actions.
In the wake of the attack, which caused an international wave of outrage, many officials urged one another to go beyond rhetoric and take concrete measures. in addition to the conflict in Gaza, condemnation.
However, the summit’s conclusion in the Qatari capital of Doha produced a last communique urging nations to take all feasible “legal” measures. and real steps to stop Israel from continuing its acts against the Palestinian people.” It also urged states to “review diplomatic and economic ties” and “start legal proceedings” against Israel, but it did not mention that any of them had agreed to do so.
According to experts, a military response was always unlikely due to the possibility of further escalation hurting the Gulf leaders’ domestic agendas and the fact that the Gulf states are divided on the issue. The Gulf Arab countries still rely on the military backing of the United States, Israel’s closest friend. However, additional strategies were debated, such as lowering diplomatic and commercial relations with Israel.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stated that Israel’s diplomatic relations with Arab nations are currently threatened, as well as its potential for official recognition by other Arab governments.
“What is happening now,” Mr. el-Sisi stated, “places obstacles before any new peace agreements and even strains the existing peace accords with countries in the region.”
The Arab League’s assistant secretary-general, Hossam Zaki, told reporters following the summit that the appeal for countries to reconsider their relations with Israel was not obligatory.
“The paragraph is not mandatory or binding; rather, it opens the door for member states, regardless of whether they belong to the Arab League or the The Organization of Islamic Cooperation should be able to take such actions if they want to and if they believe they are vital and necessary,” said Mr. Zaki.
The bombing in Qatar was a notable exception, as Israel has frequently struck its foes on foreign territory; the two nations have maintained friendly relations for a long time. relations, albeit not official diplomatic relations. Qatar, a U.S. ally, is home to a sizable U.S. military facility and has given the political chiefs of the Hamas militant organization the chance to live and serve as a mediator between Hamas and other nations by operating there for many years.
Because of those connections, Qatar has been a crucial negotiator in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas since the war in Gaza started nearly two years ago. That essential function is now in question.
“We should not be satisfied with just holding an emergency summit, but rather take real action to combat the state of insanity of power, arrogance.” and bloodthirsty obsession that has befallen the Israeli government,” said Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s emir, who accused Israel of “sabotaging” the In Doha, negotiations with Hamas on a cease-fire and the release of captives.
“For our part, we are resolved to use every legal means available to us under international law to defend our sovereignty and stand against this Israeli Sheikh Tamim said that Qatar was withdrawing from its mediation position in a statement that did not use the word “aggression.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were two of the dignitaries who attended Monday’s summit, which was a rare occurrence. a display of unity between two nations that have frequently been at odds but are united in their opposition to Israel’s policies.
The more aggressive posture Israel has adopted against its enemies abroad was evident in its attack on a residential complex in Doha last Tuesday. Israel also invaded Lebanon last year in order to continue its battle with Hezbollah, in addition to the devastating war in Gaza and the conflict with Iran. It has launched numerous attacks in Syria and Yemen.
Many people connected to Hamas and one member of Qatar’s internal security force died in the Doha incident. Israel’s targets were not successfully eliminated, according to Hamas. Whether the attack achieved its intended goals has not been assessed by Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has defended the strike as part of a larger battle to retaliate against Hamas for leading the October 2023 the attack on his nation that initiated the conflict in Gaza.
In Jerusalem, at a joint news conference with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, Mr. Netanyahu stated that the strike’s primary goal was to The message it conveyed was its effect.
“We sent a message to the terrorists: You can run but you can’t hide — and we will get you,” he stated.
The fifth anniversary of the Abraham Accords, a collection of agreements mediated by the United States that established diplomatic relations between Israel and a number of Arab countries, occurs during the Doha summit. Egypt and Jordan were the only Arab nations that had formally recognized Israel for many years.
In a statement on the eve of the summit, Hamas urged the Gulf leaders to “decisive positions” and make use of all of their influence. to force Israel to stop the war in Gaza right away.
“Israel is unlikely to take the Arab League’s statements seriously unless concrete measures are taken,” according to Abdulaziz Alghashian, a Saudi researcher and senior nonresident fellow at the Gulf International Forum.
“The statements were intended to reinforce the tone, but nothing really fundamental has changed,” Mr. Alghashian stated. “I think people were hoping for far more actions.”
