Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is heading for Doha to attend an extraordinary emergency Islamic-Artabic Summit there today, with the recent Israeli attack on Qatar on the agenda, but with the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the expansion of Isareli settlements in the West Bank in the background. The Summit is expected to produce a resolution of condemnation, but Israel has shown that that is not something that bothers it. The presence of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected, as is that of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Perhaps more important will be the presence of those countries which have recognized Israel, either in the Abraham Accords or earlier, and of those countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, which were expected to recognize it, but were stopped by the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The Summit is unlikely to take any firm steps against Israel, because of the presence of so many allies of the USA, Israel’s principal and most committed backer. Indeed, Qatar itself is one of those allies, and the attack only took place because it was hosting ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. It is noteworthy that the Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, was in the White House on Saturday, where he had meetings with US Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Mark Rubio, before dinner with President Donald Trump himself. Clearly, the USA is doing what it has done before, especially at the UN, which is cover for Israel. However, it should realize that there is a limit beyond which the most friendly regimes in the Arab world cannot be pushed. It should not be forgotten that Qatar is one of the best friends in Gulf the USA has. Its position has led to the USA choosing Al-Udeid Airbase, Doha, as the headquarters of the USAF Central Command, while the US 7th Fleet is also headquartered in Doha, so that it can control the nearby Straits of Hormuz, which are so crucial for global energy security.
While Qatar has been cooperating with the USA, it now has to consider whether that cooperation is worth it, if Israel can attack anyone it wants to. Iran has shown that being Israel’s enemy leaves one open to attack. Now, it seems, so does being a friend of its friend. The freinds of the friend, as well as an enemy or two, are gathering in Doha in the hope that their expression of displeasure will have some effect on that friend.
