Qatar recently hosted the Emergency Arab–Islamic Summit, bringing together the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for an urgent meeting following Israeli attacks on Doha. Israeli aggression against Qatar reflects an unprecedented turning point with dangerous and far-reaching implications for regional security. The swift convening of leaders from the Arab and Islamic world for the summit underscores the gravity of the situation and the unanimous concerns regarding the need for a unified response.
On September 9, 2025, Israel launched an airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. The attack drew widespread international condemnation as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and an escalation of regional tensions. The strike took place amid ceasefire negotiations and was seen as jeopardizing attempts at de-escalation. Qatar, which is a major non-NATO ally of the United States, condemned the attack, calling it “state terrorism” and accusing Israel of deliberately sabotaging ongoing peace and hostage talks. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Qatar must either expel or prosecute Hamas officials or face further consequences. As per reports, Netanyahu’s policies have exacerbated the rift between the government and the military and have fueled domestic criticism and backlash from Israel’s allies.
Leaders of the Arab League and the OIC expressed full solidarity with Qatar, denouncing the attack as part of Israel’s wider aggression in the region. The final communiqué after the meeting reaffirmed support for Palestinian statehood, rejected Israeli settlement expansion, forced displacement and warned against Israel’s pertinent threats to regional stability. The communiqué stressed that the attack on Qatar, which has extended its good offices for constructive mediation and hostage negotiations, was a dangerous escalation undermining international mediation and peace efforts. It welcomed the UN Security Council’s statement condemning the Israeli attack on Qatar as a violation of international peace and security. It called for sanctions, accountability through the International Criminal Court and a suspension of Israel’s UN membership. The communiqué stressed the Arab League’s “Shared Vision for Security and Cooperation in the Region,” emphasizing collective security, unity and respect for international law and sovereignty. It called for peaceful dispute resolution, non-interference and renunciation of force. The summit categorically identified Israel as the key obstacle to regional peace and stability and emphasized the urgent need for operationalizing joint security frameworks. Following the emergency summit, the Gulf states’ defense ministers reconvened in Doha, where they agreed to strengthen intelligence-sharing and accelerate the implementation of a new regional ballistic missile warning system and announced plans for upcoming joint military exercises. This reflects a push to institutionalize collective security among Arab and Islamic countries, which signals the unanimous concern over the current situation and the implications for regional instability.
During his remarks at the summit, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said, “There is no room to deal with such a party that’s cowardly and treacherous… Those who work consistently to assassinate the party in these negotiations will certainly do everything to ensure the failure of these negotiations. When they claim that they seek the liberation of hostages, that’s a mere lie.” GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said, “We expect our strategic partners in the US to use their influence on Israel for it to stop this behavior — we really do expect that….They have leverage and influence over Israel, and it’s about time that this leverage and influence are used.” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned that repeated condemnations have worn thin and urged concrete, severe measures like ending diplomatic and trade relations and imposing punitive actions to hold Israel accountable. Statements from leaders across the Arab and Islamic world conveyed both outrage and deep concern over recent events.
The Israeli airstrike on Doha and the subsequent emergency summit have already begun to alter the discourse on regional security cooperation. Theviolence and recklessness of Israel’s actions are widely seen as a severe escalation, one that will directly affect the trajectory of normalization initiatives in the region and add to the mounting pressure to respond to Israeli threats. Countries that were once cautiously engaging in normalization prospects are now reconsidering their positions in light of what they perceive as a pattern of aggression without any consequences. If such escalations continue, the role of the United States as a guarantor of security will also be reassessed. While Washington reached out to its Gulf allies soon after the Israeli airstrike, the apprehensions after recent developments push regional leaders to reconsider their security calculations. In the medium to long term, this could expedite the pursuit of diversifying defense partnerships, focusing on enhancing domestic and collective security.
Regional countries are also struggling with how to restore legitimacy to the international system, which many believe has failed to hold Israel accountable for repeated violations of international law. Countries like Saudi Arabia have been using their diplomatic and political influence to rally international pressure, push for stronger resolutions at the UN and advocate for a renewed peace process. It is important to note that countries beyond the region are closely observing developments in the Middle East, where ongoing Israeli violations of international law and norms risk undermining the rules-based order. This sets a dangerous precedent, signaling an implicit tolerance for escalating violence and raising the likelihood of future escalations or conflicts in other parts of the world. How the Arab and Islamic states respond to Israel’s actions will also set a precedent for collective responses to violations of sovereignty. This renders the summit particularly significant as its implications extend beyond the Middle East, gauging whether regional solidarity can be transformed into genuine deterrence while reinforcing international law and norms.
Despite longstanding political and ideological divergences, every Arab and Islamic state attended and aligned in condemning Israel’s attack. Such unanimity is a result of the consensus on the fact that Israeli actions have crossed a threshold for many governments. For Qatar, which has long played the role of mediator, the show of support was particularly important. Other states, which have been traditionally mediating protracted conflicts, will now re-evaluate the risks of playing such a role, especially when mediators themselves become targets. The tone of the summit reflected this shift, with Egypt’s explicit reference to Israel as an “enemy” marking a notable change and highlighting the growing erosion of trust and patience.
It is clear to the international community that Israel has been pursuing an expansionist andhegemonic role, which threatens not only Palestinian rights but also the sovereignty of neighboring states. While regional countries continue to exercise strategic restraint to avoid uncontrolled escalation, there are growing concerns that Israel may seek to exploit this cautious restraint. This leaves regional states with the difficult task of striking a balance of crafting a response that demonstrates deterrence while at the same time avoiding a perilous slide into wider conflict that is detrimental not just to regional stability but also to global peace. Some countries have already suggested stronger measures, including the possibility of a complete boycott of Israel, which would gain traction if Israeli policies remain unchanged. The tone of the summit reflected not only condemnation but also a warning that Israel is becoming increasingly isolated, and unless it alters its course, that isolation will deepen both regionally and globally. This emerging trend is already evident and could prompt regional countries, with likely European support, to take decisive measures against Israel, particularly amid growing international anxiety over the decline of the rules-based global order due to Israeli aggression.
