Shehbaz Sharif Joins Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha to Address Israeli Strikes

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Doha on Monday to attend an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit, convened to formulate a strong response to the intensifying Israeli strikes in the region, with the recent Doha attack at the center of discussions.

A day earlier, Pakistan had urged the international community to hold Israel “accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Ahead of the summit, foreign ministers met to prepare a draft resolution, with Pakistan proposing the establishment of “an Arab-Islamic task force” and the adoption of “effective deterrent and offensive measures” to counter Israeli aggression.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, in his remarks, stated: “Israel’s actions reek of an unabashed aggressor that is hell bent on achieving its heinous objectives and is unbothered if that pursuit topples the entire edifice of international order. No state is safe from such an unhinged entity that defies all precepts of civilized behaviour.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated “unwavering support” for Israel in its Gaza operations, dismissing recent Western calls to recognize Palestine and claiming such moves embolden Hamas.

The summit, jointly hosted by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), seeks to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel. A draft statement obtained by AFP warned that Israel’s “brutal aggression” jeopardizes normalization efforts under the Abraham Accords and undermines prospects of peace in the region.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani emphasized: “The time has come for the international community to stop using double standards and to punish Israel for all the crimes it has committed.”

Nearly 60 countries are participating, with leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The meeting is also expected to highlight “the concept of collective security” and stress the need for Arab and Muslim nations to unite against shared threats. Parallel sessions of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the UN Human Rights Council are also scheduled, the latter preparing to debate Israel’s strike in Qatar.

Observers believe the summit will be closely judged by its actions rather than statements, as calls grow for decisive steps to address the escalating crisis in Gaza and beyond.