By Tarek Chouiref
ISTANBUL (AA) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Sunday called for the establishment of an Islamic military alliance, saying recent Israeli actions in Gaza and Qatar demand a collective response.
Sudani said Tuesday’s airstrike on Doha, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, was “a shocking breach of international law” and a reminder that Israel’s actions threaten the security of the entire region.
“There is no reason Muslim nations cannot form a joint security force to defend themselves,” he told Qatar’s Al Jazeera channel, urging Arab and Islamic countries to build a comprehensive political, security and economic partnership.
His remarks came as preparations were underway for an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha to discuss the fallout from Israel’s strike on Qatar. The gathering is also expected to see the activation of a long-proposed joint Arab military force, an initiative first advanced by Egypt nearly a decade ago.
The Iraqi premier stressed that the Islamic world holds “numerous levers” that could be used to deter Israel, warning that the Israeli “aggression will not stop at Qatar.” He pointed to what he described as systematic killings in Gaza for nearly two years.
Qatar will host the emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Sept. 15-16 in response to the Israeli attack that targeted Hamas leaders in Doha.
The attack struck a residential compound as Hamas leaders were discussing a US proposal to end the war in Gaza, where more than 64,800 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.