Leaders from throughout the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have gathered in Doha for an Arab-Islamic summit to forge a unified stance on Israel following its assault on a Hamas workplace in Qatar’s capital on September 9 that killed six individuals.
The emergency summit of the Arab League and OIC started on Monday, following a closed-door assembly of international ministers in Doha, the place a draft decision outlining concrete measures in opposition to Israel was ready.
“It’s time for the worldwide group to desert twin requirements and to carry Israel accountable for all of the crimes it has dedicated,” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani stated earlier than the assembly, including that the assault have to be met with “fierce” and “agency” measures.
The Qatari chief additionally chided Israel’s steady derailment of Gaza ceasefire talks, stating: “Israel should know that the continual genocidal warfare in opposition to the Palestinian individuals, aiming at forcibly transferring them outdoors their homeland, can’t succeed, it doesn’t matter what false justification is supplied.”
Israel’s assault on Qatar was a part of a broader wave of strikes extending past its borders, marking the sixth nation Israel had focused in 72 hours and the seventh because the begin of this 12 months.
Who’re the 22 members of the Arab League?
Among the many attendees are representatives from the Arab League, a bunch of twenty-two member nations stretching from North Africa to the Gulf and representing primarily Arab-majority states, with a mixed inhabitants of practically 500 million — about six p.c of the world’s inhabitants.
Formally often called the League of Arab States, the Arab League was established in Cairo on March 22, 1945, by seven founding members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. Its creation mirrored the shared need of Arab nations rising from colonial rule to coordinate their political stances, promote regional solidarity and safeguard their sovereignty and independence.
Over the a long time, membership grew to 22 states, stretching from North Africa to the Gulf. Egypt was suspended in 1979 after signing a peace treaty with Israel, however its membership was reinstated in 1989. Libya was suspended throughout the 2011 rebellion however readmitted later that 12 months. Syria was suspended in 2011 amid its civil warfare and reinstated in 2023.
The group accounts for about 3.25 p.c of world gross home product (GDP), with a number of members ranked among the many world’s main oil producers.
Nations resembling Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, and Algeria are additionally a part of the Group of the Petroleum Exporting Nations (OPEC), and maintain a few of the largest confirmed oil reserves. Collectively, Arab League members produce a few quarter of the world’s oil.
All Arab League members are additionally a part of the 57-member OIC.
Who’re the 57 members of the OIC?
The OIC, which was fashioned in 1969 in response to an arson assault on Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, brings collectively 57 nations with important Muslim populations throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
In September 1969, Muslim leaders met in Rabat, Morocco, to determine a physique that might safeguard Islamic holy websites, shield shared political and financial pursuits, and promote solidarity amongst Muslim-majority nations on the worldwide stage.
Over time, its membership expanded from 30 to 57 states, reflecting its rising attain. In the present day, the OIC represents greater than 2.1 billion individuals — about 26 p.c of the world’s inhabitants and eight p.c of the world’s GDP.
In its early years, the OIC had free membership guidelines. Its authentic constitution allowed any Muslim state to hitch with the approval of two-thirds of current members, which opened the door for nations with out Muslim majorities however with important Muslim populations. These embrace Gabon, the Maldives, Mauritania, Uganda, Mozambique, Cameroon, Togo, Benin, the Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau.
Within the Americas, Guyana and Suriname joined regardless of having comparatively small Muslim communities.
The 2008 constitution revision made membership stricter. Now, a rustic have to be a United Nations member (with Palestine because the exception), have a Muslim-majority inhabitants, abide by the constitution and apply formally. Even then, admission requires consensus amongst all 57 members — a tough job.
Albania is the one European state within the OIC.
The organisation has maintained a constant and forceful stance in opposition to Israeli actions, notably relating to occupation and navy offensives in Palestine.
Over the previous three years, the OIC has convened a number of emergency summits and ministerial conferences — most notably in Riyadh, Jeddah and Istanbul – to sentence Israeli assaults on Gaza, the occupied West Financial institution, and, extra lately, strikes involving Iran and Qatar.
The group has repeatedly referred to as for fast ceasefires, safety of Palestinian civilians and worldwide accountability for what it describes as “Israeli crimes”.