September 16, 2025

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Qatar Hosts Emergency Summit to Convene Regional Countries in Response to Israeli Attack

(Ibraheem Al Omari/AP File)

An emergency summit of the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened in Doha yesterday to discuss a response to the Israeli strikes last week targeting Hamas leadership. Arab and Islamic leaders gathered to express solidarity with Qatar, denounce the Israeli attack, and warn that such actions risk upending regional stability and efforts at normalization among Arab states. Qatar, which has positioned itself firmly as a mediator in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, emphasized that the airstrike on Qatar’s sovereign soil was also an attack on the very principle of mediation itself. Doha sees the attack as an affront to the core mission of Qatar’s diplomatic role. The strike could have broader implications, dissuading other states that seek to play the role of interlocutor, concerned over being caught in the middle of a regional conflagration.

That this strike occurred inside a country that has been hosting ceasefire negotiations has raised numerous questions about the reliability of security guarantees and about whether regional powers can credibly depend upon the U.S. to protect their sovereignty. Yesterday, Axios reported that U.S. President Donald Trump was made aware of the strike in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the attack took place. The Hamas leaders who were targeted had gathered to meet in order to discuss the ceasefire proposal that had been offered just days prior. According to reporting by the Associated Press, Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani stated: “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.” The Emir also emphasized that the summit represents a pivotal moment to strengthen Arab and Islamic solidarity and to stand united in the face of many existing challenges. He went on to say that the summit embodies the region's unity in defending sovereignty and peace, while also affirming that security and stability are non-negotiable.

Some summit participants pushed for more robust, independent regional security mechanisms or alternatives, though it remains unclear exactly what those might look like. Officials are weighing whether to shift beyond rhetoric and pursue palpable measures in response to the unprovoked attack, which drew international condemnation — particularly from regional leaders, who see Israel’s recent attack as an attempt to sabotage negotiations. The Washington Post reported that the Mossad, Israel’s elite intelligence service, “balked at Netanyahu’s strike in Qatar,” revealing a growing rift between Israel’s political, intelligence, and military elements. Since the 2023 Israel-Hamas war began, the director of the Mossad, David Barnea, has frequently traveled to Doha to participate in ceasefire negotiations.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned at the summit: “What is happening now undermines the future of peace, threatens your security and the security of all peoples of the region, and obstructs any prospects for new peace agreements ... It also undermines existing peace agreements with countries in the region. The consequences will be dire, with the region returning to an atmosphere of conflict and the loss of historic peace-building efforts and gains achieved through them. This is a price we will all pay, without exception.” Jordan’s leader, King Abdullah II, warned of a similar threat. Although Jordan signed a peace deal with Israel 30 years ago –– the Wadi Araba Treaty –– King Abdullah emphasized that fellow Arab states should look to adopt concrete joint actions to face the threat Israel poses on the region, stating that “the strike in Qatar is proof that the Israeli threat knows no bounds, and our response must be clear and deterrent.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Netanyahu in Israel to reaffirm their shared hardline stance against Hamas as a precursor to ending the war in Gaza. However, the White House has voiced concern over Israel’s recent strike in Qatar. Following his talks with Netanyahu, Rubio will travel to Doha to help ease tensions over the strike and to reaffirm Qatar’s crucial mediation role in the conflict, which could prove essential in securing the release of the 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza. At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has mobilized an offensive attacking Gaza City, a move that will, in no uncertain terms, prolong the suffering and misery of this conflict even further. More than 100,000 Palestinians fled Gaza City over the weekend in advance of the recent offensive, and over 140 people were killed in Gaza City this past weekend alone. While the offensive proceeds, numerous Arab leaders have accused Netanyahu of operating in bad faith, and there have been recent reports suggesting that Israel is preparing to annex parts of the West Bank.

While there was strong language condemning Israel’s strike, calls for accountability, and demands for diplomatic or economic consequences, concrete punitive action seems unlikely, due at least in part to internal divisions, particularly among countries that have normalized ties with Israel, or the so-called ‘Abraham Accords’ countries. The Summit itself coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Accords, which now seem more tenuous than at any time in recent memory. Put simply, Israel’s actions call into question the durability of recent normalization agreements. This is especially the case if countries feel that diplomatic relations do little to safeguard them against unilateral Israeli military actions. Some Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries could look to downgrade diplomatic and/or trade ties with Israel. The Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League, Hossam Zaki, said “It is not a mandatory or binding paragraph, but rather one that opens the door for member states, whether in the Arab League or the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to take such measures if they wish and if they see them as important and necessary,” in reference to a nonbinding call for states to review their respective ties with Israel.

Some regional leaders may seek mechanisms for stronger regional security cooperation, rethinking airspace defense, surveillance, or shifting alliances, or increasing reliance on alternatives to U.S. guarantees. One challenge is that there are no apparent enforcement mechanisms. In other words, most countries at the summit have limited tools to directly push back aggressively against Israel without risking diplomatic or strategic fallout. There are also different exit costs to consider. Some Gulf States have made strategic, economic, and security ties with Israel, so severing them or punishing Israel could have domestic, economic, or strategic costs for these countries. There is also the potential for escalation—stronger rhetoric or tangible moves (e.g., economic blockades, diplomatic downgrades) could trigger counter-measures or even military escalation.

Yesterday’s Doha Summit sends a strong symbolic message: Arab and Muslim states are incensed, united rhetorically for the most part in condemning what many view as a serious violation of sovereignty and mediation norms. There was also a rare show of unity between Saudi Arabia and Iran, with both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in attendance. But whether this translates into meaningful policy shifts, durable diplomatic costs for Israel, or new regional security frameworks remains uncertain. Much will depend on follow-through: whether resolution language becomes action, whether there is tangible enforcement, and whether the recent attack is enough to shift regional perceptions of who can be trusted in diplomacy and security.