Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani hosted an emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha to discuss Israel’s recent attack on Doha targeting Hamas negotiators. The summit was organised jointly between the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
The summit was opened by Qatar’s Emir who condemned Israel for its attack and accused it of using negotiations as a deceiving pretext to extend the war and refuse a ceasefire. The Emir also accused Israel of not being genuinely interested of bringing back the Israeli hostages but rather to wage a war in the region to create what Israelis describe as “a Greater Israel”. The Emir also highlighted Israel’s expansion in the West Bank and its ultimate aim in Gaza to make Gaza uninhabitable. However, the Emir didn’t call for any particular action.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that the OIC or a new entity should have a mechanism which protects the joint economic and security interests of the organisation’s members. Turkey’s President also echoed the same point saying that Islamic states should seek to collaborate and maintain their joint security interests and take action when necessary. President Erdogan offered Turkey’s military assistance and encouraged those present to follow on Turkey’s footsteps and stop trading with Israel, also saying that Turkey lost up to $9.5 billion in revenues to do so.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa gave a very brief speech which lasted only 50 seconds: probably an ironic gesture signaling the lack of action following extended talks, typical of these summits. The Arab League is often criticised as a talking shop which achieves no tangible results. President’s Sharaa’s speech was as following:
“Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings. I will strive to shorten the time. It is one of history’s rarities for the negotiator to be killed, and unprecedented to target the mediator. At the same time, Israeli aggression on Gaza continues, and it has been carrying out attacks on Syria for nine months. Dear sirs, no nation has united without its power growing, and no nation has divided without weakening. The poet says: When a wise heart, sharp sword, and proud spirit unite, like demands. Stand, and the entire people of the Syrian Arab Republic are beside the State of Qatar, in loyalty to it and the justice of its position. Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings.”
Many of the speakers condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza and offered their solidarity to Qatar. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian was also president and called for joint action to deter and stop Israel’s aggressive action in the region and its genocide in Gaza.
Despite the condemnations, the summit reached no concrete decisions and results.
Newsroom
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