Gulf Leaders Condemn Israeli Actions, Call for US Intervention

Leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened an emergency summit in Qatar, prompted by an Israeli attempt to assassinate Hamas negotiators in Doha. The GCC's secretary general, Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, expressed the expectation that the United States, a strategic partner, would leverage its influence to curb Israel's actions.

The attack, which resulted in the deaths of five Hamas officials, was condemned by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, as a violation of Qatar's sovereignty. The GCC summit concluded with a statement directing its unified military command to take measures to activate joint defense mechanisms and assess the region's defense posture. This marks a rare activation of the joint defense council, previously utilized during the 1991 Iraq War and the 2011 Arab Spring.

The summit's primary statement voiced support for Qatar but refrained from immediate economic or political repercussions against Israel, such as suspending the Abraham Accords. This decision likely offered some relief to the United States, which has been working to prevent a breakdown in Arab-Israeli relations. However, discussions within the GCC's unified defense command could potentially lead to calls for Arab states to reduce their reliance on the US for security.

Arab leaders have expressed disappointment over the lack of action from Donald Trump in response to what they perceive as Israel's efforts to expand its territory. Reports suggesting that Benjamin Netanyahu had warned Trump about the attack on Qatar before it occurred have further fueled their concerns. Many Gulf leaders are now seeking concrete evidence that Trump will take steps to restrain Netanyahu.

Israel has not apologized for the attack and maintains that Hamas leaders remain legitimate targets. Qatar, with US backing, has hosted Hamas political leaders for over a decade as part of its mediation efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The summit demonstrated solidarity with Qatar's mediation role, which had previously led to some isolation within the Gulf.

The joint statement condemned Israel's aggression and supported the mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt, and the US to halt the violence in Gaza, noting that the attack undermined these efforts. The statement also accused Israel of seeking to impose a new reality in the region.

Other leaders also weighed in. The president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, called for unity among Arab and Islamic countries. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stated that Israel's actions obstructed peace agreements. The UAE, through Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, expressed solidarity with Qatar. The Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, stated that the attack aimed to eliminate the idea of negotiation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned Israel's actions as "banditry.