Middle East leaders rounded on Israel and its threats to peace at an emergency summit on Monday.
Gulf countries are to review their joint defence plans after last week's Israeli strike on Doha plunged the region into uncharted territory. Dozens of Arab and Muslim countries put on a show of solidarity with Qatar at the summit in its capital.
In unusually stark language, they warned a flurry of Israeli aggression, from the attack on Qatar to the Gaza war, bombardments of Lebanon, Syria and Iran and policies of settlement and expansion, were putting hopes of Middle East peace beyond reach.
A joint communique said the world had failed to keep Israel in check as it called for sanctions, suspension of arms sales and “reviewing diplomatic and economic relations” with Israel.
The attack on Qatar "and the continuation of Israeli aggressive practices, including crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation, blockade, settlement activities and expansionist policies, undermine any chances of achieving peace in the region", it said.
Qatar called the summit a "message to the world” that the region rejects aggression. Israel's "terrorist government” does not plan to secure the release of hostages and achieve peace in Gaza, said Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, in a speech to the summit.
A UAE delegation was led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court. Dignitaries from across the Middle East, Africa and Asia included Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who held talks on the sidelines of the summit.
In a statement during the summit, the UAE said Qatar "is not standing alone” after it was attacked by Israel and that "the united voice of Arab and Islamic countries today must lead to change”, the state news agency Wam reported. Israel's strike on Doha killed six people but failed in its aim to eliminate senior Hamas leaders.
The UAE "stressed that this reckless escalation by Israel, accompanied by repeated threats of annexing Palestinian land and aggression against neighbouring states, undermines efforts to achieve lasting peace and regional stability”.
Leaders and dignitaries took turns to condemn Israel's government as it orders the bombardment of neighbouring countries and muses about expanding Israeli territory. Some, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called for sanctions or prosecutions against the Israeli leadership.
Sheikh Tamim said it was clear that Israel- which was meant to be a participant in Gaza ceasefire talks – was aware of the meeting of Hamas leaders in Doha. He questioned why Israel attacked the people they were in negotiations with. Israel has threatened to carry out more attacks.
"Have you ever heard of such aggression – a state that is party to negotiations yet attacks the venue where negotiations are taking place?” Sheikh Tamim asked. "If Israel wishes to assassinate leaders, why engage in negotiations? If you wish to insist on liberation of hostages, why assassinate all negotiators? How can we host in our country negotiating delegations from Israel when they send drones and planes for an air raid in our country?”
He described Israel's participation in negotiations as part of a "scheme”. The real aim, he said, is to cause Gaza to become unliveable and to continue to kill and displace Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
"Those who work consistently to assassinate the party that's negotiating will certainly do everything to ensure the failure of negotiations,” he said. "When they claim that they seek to liberate the hostages, that is a mere lie.”
Israel deals with critics by describing them as "terrorists or anti-Semites,” he said. "Whereas the government of terrorists and extremists in Israel is pursuing a policy of aggression everywhere.”
Sheikh Tamim called for the emergency summit to establish clear steps to deal with the Israeli government.
In his speech, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the Israeli attack on Qatar's sovereignty breached every humanitarian principle. "Israel's crimes will not be forgotten … and an attack on a country that is mediating a ceasefire will not be forgotten,” Mr Aboul Gheit said in Doha.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi warned that Israel's "uncontrolled and destabilising” behaviour will expand the scope of the conflict in the region. He added that Israel's actions reduced the chance of new peace treaties in the Middle East.
"What is happening right now hinders the future of peace, threatens your security and the security of the peoples in the region and adds obstacles to chances for any new peace agreements and even aborts existing ones,” he said.
Since the Gaza war began in October 2023, Israel has killed more than 64,900 people in the enclave, although the true death toll is suspected to be higher. Nearly the entire population of 2.2 million have been forced to flee fighting at least once and Israel has expanded its incursion into Gaza city, pushing one million people to further displacement.
By blocking aid into Gaza, Israel has been accused of starving the enclave, where a famine has been declared by the UN-supported Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. At least 425 people, including 145 children, have died from hunger-related causes.
Arab-Islamic leaders gather in Doha – in pictures
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High officials and delegates to the emergency Arab-Islamic leaders' summit to discuss the Israeli attack on Hamas on Qatari territory pose for a group photo in Doha on September 15. Reuters -
Sheikh Tamim, Emir Of Qatar, at the opening of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss the Israeli attack on Hamas officials on Qatari soil, in Doha. Reuters -
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, at the Arab and Islamic Emergency Summit in Doha. Eissa Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court -
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani attends the emergency Arab-Islamic leaders' summit in Doha, Qatar. Reuters -
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, seated centre, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, standing centre, attend the opening of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss the Israeli attack on Qatar in Doha, Qatar. EPA -
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, is received in Doha by Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman, Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar. Hassan Al Menhali / UAE Presidential Court -
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim attend the emergency Arab and Islamic leaders summit in Doha. Reuters -
Sheikh Tamim delivers an address during the opening of the summit, which has been held after Israel launched an attack on the Qatari capital. AFP -
King Abdullah II of Jordan arrives in Doha. Qatar News Agency -
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his wife Emine Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrive in Doha. Qatar News Agency -
Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah with Sheikh Saoud, who is also Qatar's Minister of State for Defence Affairs. AFP -
Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman recieves Oman's Sultan Haitham in Doha. Qatar News Agency -
Morocco's Prince Moulay Rachid arrives in Doha for the summit. Qatar News Agency -
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara arrives in Doha. Reuters -
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman with US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack. AFP -
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani is welcomed in Doha by Sheikh Saoud. AFP -
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian is received in Doha by Sheikh Saoud. AFP -
Sudan's army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan is received by Sheikh Saoud. AFP -
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrives in Doha. AFP -
Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon is received in Doha by Sheikh Saoud. AFP
An outpouring of condemnation since the Doha strike has pushed Israel further into international isolation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted by the International Criminal Court to face accusations of war crimes.
A resolution adopted at the summit in Doha showed unwavering support for Qatar's sovereignty and its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas. It also said Israel's actions in the region and the killing of civilians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Iran, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon undermine efforts aimed at coexistence.
The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in a statement said a further emergency meeting will be held in Doha for ministers of defence to discuss threats to the region.
Leaders of the GCC also directed the bloc's Unified Military Command to "activate mechanisms of joint defence and Gulf deterrence capabilities”, a statement released on the sidelines of the summit said.
The Doha talks began on Sunday, with foreign ministers meeting behind closed doors. A debate at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva will be held on Tuesday at the request of the Arab and Islamic states.
The US is looking to strike a balance between its relations with Qatar, a US ally and regional security partner, and its support for Israel. America's Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who received Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman in Washington on Friday, travelled to Jerusalem two days later. Mr Rubio is expected to arrive in Qatar on Tuesday.
In a press conference with Mr Netanyahu, he highlighted the important role Qatar has played as a mediator in Gaza ceasefire talks. His visit to Israel came a week before many western nations are to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in New York. Mr Rubio called the move "symbolic”, but said it was also an "impediment” to peace.
