Emergency Doha Meeting and Condemnation of Attack on Qatar

Arab and Islamic leaders, while condemning the attack on Qatar, called for an end to weapons sales to Israel.

The emergency Doha meeting, while condemning the attack on Qatar, was accompanied by an emphasis on reviewing diplomatic relations. Leaders from nearly 60 Arab and Islamic countries at this extraordinary meeting in Doha called on the international community to stop weapons sales to Israel and to review their economic and political relations with Tel Aviv until the end of the war in Gaza.

In the joint statement of the meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), it stated that member countries should take any legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its aggression against the Palestinian people and impose weapons sanctions. It was also emphasized that the 57 OIC members at the United Nations should take action to suspend Israel’s membership.

This statement, while condemning Israel’s attack on Qatar’s capital last week, described Tel Aviv’s actions as “genocide, ethnic cleansing, starving civilians, and expansionism” and warned that such policies are destroying any prospect of peace in the region.

Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, called Israel’s attack on Doha a treacherous assault on a residential area that includes “schools and diplomatic missions” and emphasized: “The capital of my country has been subjected to an assault. Our citizens were caught off guard and the entire world was shocked by this cowardly terrorist act.”

Al Thani, referring to the presence of Hamas leaders in ceasefire and hostage release negotiations in Qatar, accused Israel of exploiting the war for purposes beyond its stated goals and added: “Israel is a country that systematically attempts to assassinate leaders with whom it negotiates, while simultaneously attacking the mediating country.”

He warned that the ongoing war has turned into “a war of destruction and making Gaza uninhabitable” and continued: “Netanyahu dreams that the Arab region becomes an area of Israeli influence, a dangerous illusion.”

Israel’s aerial attack on a residential area in Doha, which left six dead and 18 wounded, including a Qatari security officer, sparked a wave of international condemnation. The Gulf Cooperation Council also announced in a separate statement the formation of an urgent defense meeting in Doha.

The UN Human Rights Council also urgently reviewed this matter on Tuesday, September 16, in Geneva.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, in response to the wave of criticism, called them “hypocrisy” and said: “According to international law, every country has the right to defend itself beyond its borders against those who kill its citizens.”

Comparing Israel’s actions to U.S. operations against “Al-Qaeda” after the September 11 attacks, he added: “Countries should not provide safe havens for terrorists.”

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, who attended a press conference alongside Netanyahu, while emphasizing Washington’s close relations with Doha, stated that his country’s priority remains cooperation for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.