ADVERTISEMENT
At a summit in Qatar held on Monday, Arab and Gulf leaders criticized Israel over the recent attack on Hamas leaders in Doha.
The summit aimed to display unity and present a joint response to the DFT attack on Hamas leaders in Doha.
The meeting concluded with a statement urging all nations to take legal and effective measures to stop Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people.
While the prospects of closing airspace to Israeli flights or downgrading ties with Israel were discussed before the summit, the differences among the nations hampered cooperation efforts.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) —comprising Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE— convened a separate meeting during the summit.
They resolved to “activate the mechanisms of joint defence and the Gulf deterrence capabilities,” according to their statement.
They also urged all peace-loving countries globally to condemn the Israeli crimes in Qatar, Gaza, and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories.
Qatari ruler addresses the summit with an impassioned speech
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s emir, slammed Israel for disregarding its hostages in Gaza and accused it of trying to make the area “unliveable.” Israel asserts that its war aims include the return of all hostages and the defeat of Hamas.
If Israel wants to eliminate Hamas leaders, why negotiate? Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani inquired.
While normally a key mediator in ceasefire talks, this was one of the most heated speeches for the 45-year-old ruler of Qatar.
“There is no room for dealing with such a group that is cowardly and treacherous,” the emir continued, adding that those who persist in assassinating negotiators in these talks will do their utmost to guarantee their failure. And when they claim that they want to liberate hostages, that’s just a lie.”
Sheikh Tamim also denounced what he referred to as Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza, a viewpoint expressed by several others at the summit. Israel vehemently denies allegations of genocide. It claims that Hamas is responsible for prolonging the conflict because it refuses to surrender and release the hostages.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israel “should also be economically squeezed,” as shown by experience that economic measures yield results.
Despite this, nations with diplomatic recognition agreements with Israel were hesitant to terminate these ties. Hossam Zaki, an Arab League representative, mentioned there could be a review of these agreements.
Monday marked the fifth anniversary of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formally recognizing Israel via the Abraham Accords.
However, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted, “Condemnations won’t stop the missiles; declarations won’t liberate Palestine.”
Iran’s presence at the summit makes tensions body
After the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites in June, Iran hit Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, angering Qatar. Nonetheless, Iran sent its president, Masoud Pezeshkian, to the meeting.
Pezeshkian urged other nations to “isolate the aggressor,” but avoided addressing Iran’s attack on Qatar. He also spoke about Israel’s war on Iran in June and stated that any regional country might be targeted.
In response to Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, Israel initiated its invasion of Gaza and struck back at other members of Iran’s so-called Axis of Resistance in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and now Qatar.
The war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of nearly 64,000 Palestinians, infuriating many Middle Eastern countries, intensifying resentment, and raising concerns that the US’s commitment to defending Gulf Arab governments may be insufficient.
