The Arab-Islamic Summit held in Doha on Monday once again highlighted the deep frustration and moral outrage across the Muslim world over Israel’s relentless campaign of violence in Gaza and beyond. Yet, for all the strong words and fiery denunciations, the gathering fell short of delivering the decisive actions needed to confront Israeli aggression. Unless concrete measures are implemented, this summit too will join the long list of meetings that produce headlines but fail to alter realities on the ground.
The context of the Doha summit is crucial. Israel’s strike on the Qatari capital last week, targeting Hamas members and killing a Qatari security officer, was an unprecedented escalation. Unlike past attacks on Iran and other anti-Israel actors, this was a direct assault on a pro-Western monarchy that simultaneously maintains channels with Hamas. This choice of target jolted Arab rulers into convening urgently, signaling that Israel’s aggression now extends to states considered relatively safe within Washington’s sphere of influence. Still, the outcomes of the summit offered little beyond rhetoric.
Resolutions urging member states to “review economic and diplomatic ties” with Israel lacked the strength of binding commitments. Instead of announcing an immediate suspension of relations, oil embargoes, or coordinated sanctions, leaders left the matter open-ended. In times of genocide, such vagueness amounts to complicity. The Palestinian people, subjected to bombardment, displacement, and starvation, deserve more than symbolic expressions of solidarity.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal of a Muslim “task force” to deter Israeli aggression was notable, as was Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s indication that Pakistan could contribute if such a force were created. Yet, these ideas remain speculative, without the political will or institutional clarity to make them materialize. Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with its ground invasion of Gaza City on Tuesday, underscoring the dissonance between Muslim deliberations and Israeli military realities.
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The brutality of Israel’s campaign has been reaffirmed by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which categorically described the actions in Gaza as genocide. This echoes earlier expert reports likening the campaign to a modern-day holocaust. Still, as Israel bulldozes through international law, the Muslim world’s response has yet to move beyond words.
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A stronger, unified stance from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League was expected. A complete boycott of Israel — diplomatic, political, cultural, and economic — could have sent a shockwave through the global system. Equally, targeting states and corporations bankrolling Israel’s war machine should have been a declared priority. Instead, divisions and hesitations prevailed, weakening the message of Muslim solidarity.
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Even more unrealistic was the GCC’s call for the United States to “use its influence” on Israel. Washington, particularly under the Trump administration, has been openly and ideologically committed to defending Israel, regardless of its crimes. To expect the US to restrain Tel Aviv is political naivety of the highest order. The Arab and Muslim world must recognize that salvation will not come from external actors, least of all those complicit in Israeli expansionism.
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If the Muslim world is serious about ending the genocide in Gaza and preventing future attacks on its member states, it must depend on its own resources, unity, and resolve. This means a collective economic boycott, coordinated defense mechanisms, and the political courage to act independently of Washington. Otherwise, the Palestinian tragedy will continue, and Israel will remain emboldened to expand its sphere of aggression, one Muslim state at a time.
