The Doha Arab-Islamic Summit and the Revival of Hope for a Broad and Effective Islamic Alliance
By: Mamoun Osman
The convening of the Doha Arab-Islamic Summit on the 15th of this month marked the fastest-organized summit in terms of timing and the most widely attended in response, following the Israeli assault on Doha on September 9. It represented a historic turning point, given the complex circumstances facing the region and the world, where political crises intersect with security threats, and pressures on nations and peoples continue to mount.
The Israeli political and media campaign against Qatar once again exposed the systematic targeting not just of one state, but of the entire Arab and Islamic fabric. These attempts, aimed at undermining independent decision-making, freedom of stance, and the dignity of peoples, reveal Israel’s ambitions of claimed regional control. Against this backdrop, the Doha Summit demonstrated that the call for Arab and Islamic solidarity is no longer a political luxury or a nostalgic aspiration, but rather an existential necessity to protect nations and safeguard the future of Arab, Islamic, and indeed all peace- and freedom-loving peoples.
The scale of participation in the summit, and the rapid response to Qatar’s urgent call, reflected the prominent stature of Qatar and its leadership in the hearts and minds of the Arab and Islamic nations. Leaders from the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation attended, along with all 22 members of the Arab League—who are also OIC members—showcasing the deep solidarity of this collective community.
The facts reveal that Israel’s recent campaign against Qatar was nothing more than a reaction to Doha’s firm stance in defense of the Arab and Islamic cause, foremost among them the Palestinian issue. Just as Qatar stood firm against mounting pressure, it sent a clear message to Arab and Islamic capitals: the battle for sovereignty is not an individual choice, but a collective responsibility that demands unity and solidarity beyond narrow national or regional calculations.
Leaders at the summit, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, underscored this message. In his address, Ibrahim called for cutting diplomatic and trade ties with Israel, which continues to expand its aggression across the region—striking Doha after attacking Iran, waging a nearly two-year campaign of genocide in Gaza, carrying out assaults in the occupied West Bank, and launching airstrikes on Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. He noted that Qatar was attacked despite its role as a mediator—alongside Egypt and with U.S. involvement—in indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel over a prisoner exchange and ceasefire. “Condemnations will not stop missiles,” Ibrahim said. “Statements will not liberate Palestine. Severe punitive measures must be taken—diplomatic relations must be severed, as well as trade ties.”
The summit also highlighted that security challenges in the region now extend beyond traditional conflicts to include cross-border terrorism, foreign interventions, information warfare, economic crises, and food insecurity. Such threats cannot be met through individual capacities, nor by relying on external powers that often prioritize their own interests, leaving the region’s security hostage to complex global equations.
The extraordinary Doha Summit reaffirmed that Arab and Islamic solidarity is not optional, but an existential imperative. From this perspective emerges the urgent need for a broad Islamic alliance that goes beyond traditional formats of meetings and communiqués, toward a coordinated and practical framework of cooperation across political, security, defense, economic, social, intellectual, and cultural domains—aligned with the aspirations of the ummah.
Experts argue that such an Arab-Islamic alliance must rest on several core pillars. Chief among them is collective security, through a joint security charter that sets mechanisms to confront terrorism, cyberattacks, and destabilization efforts, alongside permanent military-defense coordination and comprehensive information-sharing. Economic solidarity is another cornerstone, linking security with economic resilience through joint projects in energy, food security, and technology, thus enabling member states to withstand external pressures. Additionally, the soft power of the ummah—through investment in media, culture, and diplomacy—remains vital to counter propaganda campaigns and project a unified Islamic image. At the heart of this alliance lies the Palestinian cause, which must serve as its compass and unifying principle, being the litmus test of credibility for any genuine Islamic solidarity project.
According to observers and specialists, it is high time for Arab and Islamic summits to move from words to action. History does not forgive hesitation, and challenges will not wait. The broad Islamic alliance now under discussion is no utopian dream—it is an urgent necessity dictated by the realities of security, geography, politics, economics, and a shared destiny.
The Doha Summit sent a clear and decisive message: unity is the first line of defense, and Arab-Islamic solidarity is the path toward a secure and stable future for the ummah—a future capable of withstanding storms, proving that independent collective decision-making is an unbreakable force.
