Doha, September 15 (Petra) Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, opened the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha on Monday by condemning the "treacherous Israeli attack" that targeted a residential neighbourhood in Doha.
He said the assault shocked both the Qatari people and the international community, calling it a cowardly act of terrorism. He warned that Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has become a war of extermination, accusing Israel of seeking to render Gaza uninhabitable as a means of forcibly displacing its population.
He said that Israel is imposing new realities on the Arab world with each escalation, adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harbors the illusion of turning the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence a notion he described as deeply dangerous.
Sheikh Tamim noted that Israel's refusal to accept the Arab Peace Initiative has led to repeated tragedies across the region. He criticised the current Israeli government for pursuing extremist, racist and terrorist policies.
Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Qatar, calling it a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
He urged the UN Security Council to assume its responsibility in holding Israel accountable for its actions.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit denounced the Israeli aggression as a gross violation of humanitarian principles and universally accepted norms particularly the longstanding principle of protecting mediators and negotiators.
He warned that the most dangerous aspect of the attack is the perpetrators’ belief that it can be justified under any pretext and their perception that they can act with impunity.
Aboul Gheit described the attack as morally bankrupt and politically cowardly, asserting that boasting about violations reflects a disturbing level of ethical decline in international relations.
He said the Israeli government's actions are eroding all foundations of peaceful coexistence in the region and endangering future generations by fostering an environment of hatred, violence and prolonged conflict.
"It is the government of a rogue state in this region and in the world," he said.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani stated that the attack on Qatar sends a dangerous message that undermines prospects for peace.
He warned that unchecked Israeli policies would only lead to greater instability and said that the security of any Arab or Islamic nation is integral to the collective security of the region.
Sudani called for a comprehensive roadmap to secure a complete ceasefire in Gaza and proposed the formation of a joint Arab-Islamic committee to present the unified position of Arab and Islamic nations to the UN Security Council and other international bodies.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said the summit comes at a critical moment, amid serious challenges threatening regional stability.
He accused Israel of seeking to turn the region into a battleground, in a manner that endangers international peace and security and violates the principles of the global order.
El-Sisi described the Israeli attack on Qatar as a flagrant breach of international law and the UN Charter, warning that such acts set a dangerous precedent and threaten Arab and Islamic national security.
He said Israel's current actions have exceeded all bounds of political and military logic.
He cautioned that Israel’s destabilising behaviour could dramatically widen the scope of the conflict, pushing the region into an uncontrollable spiral of violence.
He urged Arab and Islamic leaders to unite in establishing shared principles that reflect their collective vision and serve their common interests. More to follow. //Petra// AK
