Between condemnation and caution: Doha summit shapes response to Israel

Report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israel's recent strikes on Qatar have triggered an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha to craft a unified response to what many in the region view as an unprecedented escalation. 

The summit will open with a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers tasked with drafting the joint communiqué that heads of state are expected to adopt. 

Diplomats worked for hours to reconcile positions not only among Arab nations but also across the broader Islamic countries, underscoring the challenge of presenting a unified front.

The high-level gathering comes on the heels of talks between Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and U.S. President Donald Trump, which officials described as positive. 

Will these talks soften the tone of the summit's final statement? 

Still, many observers expect the summit to strongly condemn Israel's actions and reiterate support for a two-state solution. Others note that such gatherings often serve as expressions of solidarity rather than platforms for adopting measures that could dramatically alter regional dynamics.

The Israeli military and security expansion in the region is now a reality. The question is no longer whether to resist it, but how to manage it.

The summit also comes as debates intensify over whether Israel's current stance reflects the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alone or a broader societal indifference to peace. 

Until the strike on Qatar, the prospect of peace agreements had remained a key bargaining tool for several countries in the region. Now, diplomats are questioning whether that option has collapsed entirely.