Leaders from the Arab world express stern words towards Israel, yet fail to take significant actions during the Qatar summit.
In a show of solidarity, the leaders of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation gathered in Doha, Qatar, on September 15, 2025. The summit was held in response to Israel's ongoing operations in Gaza City.
Israeli forces initiated ground operations in Gaza City early Tuesday, despite the communiqué issued at the end of the Doha summit, which did not stop them. The consequences have been dire. The death toll in Gaza due to Israel's push into Gaza City has reached almost 65,000, with a majority of casualties being women and children.
The summit's communique did not contain any concrete action, and the rulers who met in Doha act as supplicants, relying on the whims of an unpredictable US president to intercede with Israel's leader. President Trump, in early August, stated that it's up to Israel what it does in Gaza.
The Gulf states have responded to Israel's attack on Qatar, but find few options. The US designated Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally in 2022 and hosts the largest US air base in the Middle East. Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi said they expect their strategic partners in the United States to use their influence on Israel for it to stop its behavior.
Fifty-two years ago, in October 1973, the oil ministers from the countries that made up the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) met in Kuwait. In response to the Yom Kippur War between Israel, Syria, and Egypt, they decided to cut oil production and impose export restrictions to the United States and others supporting Israel and its war effort. This was the beginning of the Arab oil embargo that helped push Western economies into recession.
Rami Khouri, a veteran analyst at the American University of Beirut, explains that Arab governments in the past century have not achieved full sovereignty and depend on foreign states for their wellbeing, protection, or survival. The event in Doha underscores how great wealth has not translated into real power for countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
A UN commission has determined that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. However, these countries are either unable or unwilling to do anything to pressure Israel and the United States to end the war in Gaza. The summit in Doha ended with a communique condemning Israel and reaffirming solidarity with Qatar. But the question remains: what will it take for the international community to take concrete action against Israel's actions in Gaza?
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