Qatar’s emir has accused Israel of deliberately sabotaging negotiations with Hamas by targeting its negotiators in a strike on Doha last week, sparking sharp rebukes at a joint Arab and Islamic summit.
Speaking before Arab and Muslim leaders gathered in Doha on Monday, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Israel’s government was undermining mediation efforts while pursuing a broader vision of regional dominance.
“Whoever works diligently and systematically to assassinate the party with whom he is negotiating, intends to thwart the negotiations… Negotiations, for them, are merely part of the war,” Sheikh Tamim said. He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “dreams of turning the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence, and this is a dangerous illusion.”
Allegations Against Israel
The Qatari leader accused Israel of exploiting the war in Gaza to expand settlements and alter the status quo, saying negotiations were being used as cover for military operations. He further charged that Israel was indifferent to its own citizens held hostage in Gaza.
“If you wish to insist on the liberation of hostages, why then do they assassinate all negotiators?” Sheikh Tamim asked. “There is no room to deal with such a party that’s cowardly and treacherous… When they claim that they seek the liberation of hostages, that’s a mere lie.”
Sheikh Tamim also denounced what he called the “genocide” being committed in Gaza, accusing Israel of seeking to render the territory unlivable.
Summit Resolutions
The extraordinary summit, jointly convened by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, urged member states to take stronger measures against Israel. A joint communiqué called on states to “take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people,” including reviewing ties, initiating legal cases, and working to suspend Israel’s membership at the United Nations.
The statement rejected forced displacement, settlement expansion, and unilateral changes in the Occupied Territories. It called for urgent humanitarian assistance, reconstruction of Gaza, and accountability for what it described as war crimes, such as starvation tactics. Leaders reiterated that lasting peace can only be achieved through the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.
Reactions Across the Region
The summit came days after a deadly air strike in Doha, which Hamas said killed six but spared top officials. The attack drew international criticism, including from US President Donald Trump.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, convened its own session on the sidelines. Members pledged to “activate the mechanisms of joint defense and the Gulf deterrence capabilities.”
“We also expect our strategic partners in the United States to use their influence on Israel in order for it to stop this behavior… They have leverage and influence on Israel, and it’s about time that this leverage and influence be used,” GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said.
Global Reactions and Next Steps
Alongside Egypt and the US, Qatar has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas. But Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said Israel’s actions were erasing prospects for peace treaties. “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,” El-Sisi warned.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also attended the summit, along with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iraq’s Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Prince Mohammed later thanked the Qatari emir, saying the meetings “affirmed the support of all participating countries for the position of Qatar in confronting the brutal aggression against it, and our absolute rejection of any violation of the principles of international law and norms.”
The United Nations Human Rights Council announced it will hold an urgent debate on Tuesday regarding Israel’s strike in Qatar.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also scheduled to arrive in Doha the same day. According to the State Department, he will “reaffirm America’s full support for Qatar’s security and sovereignty” while maintaining Washington’s “unwavering support” for Israel’s campaign against Hamas.
