A joint emergency summit, organized by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was held in Doha, Qatar. The summit saw the participation of leaders from 55 Muslim countries who united to strongly condemn Israel’s recent actions.
Notable participants included Pakistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia. These nations collectively accused Israel of carrying out attacks and voiced their support for Qatar. A noteworthy aspect of the summit was the subdued response from two of Qatar’s neighboring countries, the UAE and Bahrain.
Last week, Israel conducted approximately 10 airstrikes in Doha, targeting senior Hamas leaders who were reportedly discussing a ceasefire proposal for Gaza. These attacks resulted in at least six fatalities and caused considerable anger within Arab and Muslim countries. Leaders at the summit characterized these actions as unprecedented aggression, viewing the targeting of Qatar as an affront to the entire Muslim world.
The 55 Muslim nations in attendance issued a warning to Israel, stating that such attacks threaten regional stability and could lead to further escalation. Countries like Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia offered open support to Qatar during the summit. However, the UAE and Bahrain sent only lower-level representatives instead of their top leaders. This lack of strong backing from its neighbors is seen as a setback for Qatar.
The backdrop to this situation is the Abraham Accords, which have led to normalized relations between Israel and both the UAE and Bahrain. As a result, these countries appear to be hesitant to openly criticize Israel. Qatar has long sought to be a significant voice for the Muslim world in regional affairs. However, the restrained support from its neighbors could harm its standing.