Doha: The treacherous Israeli attack targeting a residential compound of several Hamas leaders in the capital, Doha, constitutes a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter. It also poses a direct threat to regional security and stability, by targeting a sovereign state that has been playing a pivotal role in mediation efforts, with broad international support, for nearly two years to end the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the targeting of a residential compound housing members and employees of the Hamas negotiating delegation reflects a dangerous escalation in Israel’s approach, a worrying trend toward expanding the scope of its attacks, a blatant challenge to international will, and a flagrant violation of the principles governing relations between states.

This attack sparked widespread condemnation, with world capitals and international organizations expressing their support for Qatar and their unwavering support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of this aggression. They condemned the Israeli violations, which violate international law and flout all diplomatic norms.

The summit also aims to support Doha’s ongoing mediation efforts, protect the Palestinian people from the brutality of the occupation, and deliver a firm message to the international community about the need to confront the rampant actions of the far-right Israeli government, which continues to export its internal crises by expanding the circle of aggression in the region without restraint or deterrence.

Over the eight decades since the founding of the Arab League in 1945, 50 Arab summits have been held, including 34 regular summits and 16 emergency summits. The Qatari capital, Doha, has hosted three Arab summits.

The Palestinian cause has always been a top priority for Arab leaders, who have emphasized that without the Palestinians regaining their full rights, as stipulated in international charters, treaties, and resolutions, peace and stability will not be achieved in the region. Indeed, the purpose of the founding of the Arab League was to support the independence, security, and safety of Arab states, and to defend any Arab state exposed to threat or aggression.

Since the launch of the first emergency summit in the Egyptian city of Inshas in May 1946, there has been a clear affirmation of Arab solidarity with the Palestinian cause, a permanent support for Arab states, and the preservation of their sovereignty.

In November 1956, the second extraordinary Arab Summit was held in Beirut. It called for support for Egypt against the tripartite aggression against it, affirmed Egypt’s sovereignty over the Suez Canal, and supported the Algerian peoples struggle for independence.

The fifth emergency summit was held in the Moroccan city of Fez in September 1982, during which the Arab Peace Project was approved.

Casablanca also hosted the Sixth Emergency Summit in August 1985, to discuss the Palestinian issue, the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, and international terrorism.

The Seventh Emergency Arab Summit, held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, in November 1987, affirmed the commitment to recovering all occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, as a basis for peace, and the necessity of building Arab self-reliance.

In Algiers in June 1988, the Eighth Emergency Arab Summit issued resolutions, the most important of which were: supporting the Palestinian popular uprising, strengthening its effectiveness and ensuring its continuity, and calling for the convening of an international peace conference in the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations.

In Morocco, Casablanca hosted the ninth extraordinary Arab Summit in 1989. Among its most important decisions were providing moral and material support and assistance to the Palestinian Intifada, supporting the holding of an international peace conference in the Middle East, and supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and working to expand its recognition.

In turn, the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, hosted the tenth extraordinary Arab Summit in May 1990, which supported the continuation of the Palestinian Intifada.

In Cairo, the Eleventh Extraordinary Arab Summit was held in August 1990, and affirmed Kuwait’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

Cairo also hosted the 2000th Emergency Summit in October, in response to the violent events that accompanied then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

For its part, in January 2009, the Qatari capital, Doha, hosted the “Gaza Summit” following the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. The summit called for the suspension of the Arab Peace Initiative, the cessation of all forms of normalization with Israel, and the establishment of a fund for the reconstruction of Gaza. In its final statement, the summit condemned Israel for its aggression on Gaza and demanded an immediate cessation of all forms of aggression, an immediate withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the lifting of the blockade.

In the Saudi capital, Riyadh, a joint Arab-Islamic summit was held in November 2023. The summit reiterated its categorical rejection of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, its rejection of obstructing the work of humanitarian agencies in Gaza, and its emphasis on the importance of joint action, while emphasizing that Palestine is eligible for full membership in the United Nations.

Also in Cairo, an emergency Arab summit was held in March 2025 to address the challenge of displacement, the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, the reconstruction of Gaza, the resumption of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, and ensuring the flow of aid to the Palestinians.

Over the decades, emergency Arab summits have served as essential pillars for serving the Palestinian cause, embodying Arab solidarity, and affirming unity and joint action to defend the Palestinian people and their cause.

In this context, the upcoming emergency Arab-Islamic summit comes at a particularly sensitive time, as Israel expands its aggression to include, in addition to the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Qatar, violating all international laws and norms. This situation calls for concerted efforts and unified ranks to decisively confront Israeli terrorism.