Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha shows solidarity with Qatar but falls short on action

The emergency Arab-Islamic Summit, held in Doha on September 15, 2025, ended with strong rhetorical condemnations of Israel’s recent airstrike in Qatar but with minimal agreement on specific, coordinated punitive actions. The final communique expressed solidarity with Qatar and called for legal and diplomatic actions, but a unified response involving severe measures like sanctions did not materialise.

The emergency summit was convened following an Israeli airstrike in Doha on September 9, 2025, that targeted Hamas leaders. While the most senior Hamas officials reportedly survived, the strike killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, drawing international condemnation. This attack prompted Qatar to seek a coordinated regional response.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani publicly condemned the Israeli strike as “state terrorism” and a “criminal assault”. The strike occurred as Qatar was mediating a delicate round of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Critics, including Qatar’s Prime Minister, allege that the timing suggests Israel intends to undermine the peace process.

Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, rallied in support of Qatar. Leaders met in Doha to coordinate a collective response. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strike, portraying it as a necessary action to eliminate Hamas leadership and advance peace. The Israeli military took responsibility, labelling it “Operation Summit of Fire”. The attack represented a significant expansion of Israel’s military intervention across the region and suggested a shift toward broader operations targeting Hamas leadership abroad.

India expressed deep concern over reports of Israeli airstrikes in Doha, urging all parties to exercise restraint and prioritise diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation in the region. In an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the government said, “We have seen reports about the Israeli strikes in Doha earlier today. We are deeply concerned by this development and its impact on the security situation in the region.”

The following day, in a call to the Emir of Qatar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the missile strike as an infringement of Qatar’s sovereignty. It was the first time India has used the word “condemn” in connection with any Israeli action during the Gaza war, although PM Modi did not mention Israel by name in his public post. PM Modi wrote on X that he had expressed concern to the Emir and declared that “India condemns the violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly State of Qatar”.

US President Donald Trump expressed displeasure over the strike, stating it “does not advance Israel or America’s goals” and that he was not informed in time to stop it. The White House sought to de-escalate tensions and reassure Qatar that such an incident will not be repeated. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was dispatched to the region to meet with officials.

However, the strike shattered trust in US security guarantees. Despite hosting a large US military base, Qatar was attacked. Therefore, the attack left Qatar and its neighbours feeling vulnerable, prompting reassessments of their defence partnerships.

Against this background, the Arab-Islamic leaders’ summit convened on September 15 in Doha was significant for demonstrating regional solidarity with Qatar following the Israeli airstrike on its territory. The meeting aimed to formulate a collective response to what many Arab and Muslim nations see as a dangerous and unprecedented escalation by Israel. The summit was a test of the ability of Arab and Muslim countries to translate their solidarity into concrete action.

These were the key outcomes of the Summit:

Solidarity with Qatar: The final communique condemned the Israeli strike and expressed full solidarity with Qatar,
supporting potential future measures taken in response to the attack.Activation of GCC defence mechanism: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) separately decided to activate its joint defence mechanisms to enhance its defensive posture.

Call for international accountability: The summit statement called for international action against Israel, including potential sanctions, halting arms supplies, and reviewing diplomatic and economic ties.

Minimal consensus on punitive measures: Despite calls for strong actions from some leaders, the final communique only urged states to take “legal and effective measures”, highlighting a lack of immediate and coordinated reprisals.

Strained relations with Abraham Accords signatories: The final statement was noted for being less assertive than some expected, with observers pointing out the silence of Abraham Accords signatory nations on stronger anti-Israel actions.

Renewed focus on the Palestinian cause: The communique reiterated support for Palestinian statehood.

Support for mediation efforts: The summit praised Qatar’s mediation role and warned that targeting a neutral mediator jeopardized ongoing ceasefire talks for Gaza.

While the rhetoric was fairly strong, the summit produced little in the way of concrete actions. Differing views among Arab countries on how to approach Israel likely hampered a unified and forceful response. Some countries, like Algeria, reportedly pushed for cutting diplomatic ties with Israel, while others resisted, prioritizing open communication channels. Despite the summit, Israeli leaders dismissed calls for a Palestinian state and signalled continued military action and settlement expansion, demonstrating the limited immediate impact of the summit.

Significantly, the situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with an escalating humanitarian crisis driven by intense Israeli military operations and ongoing blockades. A famine has been officially declared in parts of Gaza, and the entire population is facing dire conditions with widespread displacement, mass casualties, and a near-total collapse of essential services. Gaza’s economy has been decimated, with many resorting to desperate measures like selling clothes to afford food. Ongoing Israeli settlement expansion and military raids in the West Bank add to the turmoil.

In conclusion, the summit in Doha failed to produce a unified or concrete actionable response to Israel’s airstrike on Qatar and the war in Gaza, making its overall success questionable. While it produced strong rhetoric condemning Israel’s actions and generated an unprecedented show of solidarity with Qatar, the final communiqué offered minimal tangible steps. Its ultimate success will be determined by whether the diplomatic momentum translates into concrete actions that effectively address regional conflicts, especially the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The writer is a retired Indian diplomat and had previously served as Ambassador in Kuwait and Morocco and as Consul General in New York. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.