By Jana Choukeir and Andrew Mills
DOHA (Reuters) -An Arab-Islamic leaders summit in Doha on Monday is expected to rally support for Qatar in the wake of last week’s Israeli attack targeting the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gulf state.
The attack, which Hamas says killed five of its members but not its leadership, has prompted U.S.-allied Gulf Arab states to close ranks, adding to strains in ties between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, which normalised relations in 2020.
The emergency summit, bringing together members of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, began with a meeting of foreign ministers on Sunday to discuss a draft resolution.
The gathering is a message that “Qatar is not alone … and that Arab and Islamic states stand by it,” Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
NETANYAHU KEEPS UP PRESSURE
Hitting back at global condemnation of the September 9 attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept up pressure on Qatar over the presence of Hamas leaders on its soil, warning Doha on Wednesday to either expel Hamas officials or “bring them to justice, because if you don’t, we will”.
Qatar, a key mediator in efforts aimed at ending the nearly two-year Gaza war, has accused Israel of sabotaging chances for peace and Netanyahu of practicing “state terrorism”. A member of Qatar’s internal security forces was among those killed.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled unhappiness over the Israeli attack, saying it did not advance Israeli or U.S. goals, calling Qatar a close ally working hard to broker peace.
He also said eliminating Hamas was “a worthy goal”. After the attack, he told Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil”.
Netanyahu said on Saturday that getting rid of Hamas leaders living in Qatar would remove the main obstacle to releasing hostages still held by the group in Gaza and ending the war that began with the militant group’s October 7, 2023 attacks.
The UAE, a U.S. ally and the most prominent Arab state to normalise ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, on Friday summoned the deputy Israeli ambassador over the attack and subsequent remarks by Netanyahu which it described as hostile.
The UAE has described Qatar’s stability as an “inseparable part of the security and stability of the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council”, which includes Saudi Arabia.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 people according to local authorities. Israel launched its campaign after the October 7 attack in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages captured, according to Israeli figures.
Hamas still holds 48 hostages, and Qatar has been one of the mediators, along with the U.S., trying to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the captives’ release.
(Writing by Tom PerryEditing by Ros Russell)
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