Will GCC’s Defence Pledge Move Beyond Rhetoric?

News Desk 

Doha, Qatar: The emergency summit in Doha that brought together Arab and Islamic leaders in response to Israel’s strike on Hamas figures in Qatar carried all the hallmarks of a turning point: fiery speeches, pledges of solidarity, and vows to defend sovereignty. 

Yet, behind the rhetoric, the region remains at a crossroads—caught between condemnation and the pressing need for tangible action.

The most striking outcome of the gathering was the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) announcement to “activate a joint defence mechanism”—a long-discussed idea that has rarely moved beyond paper agreements. 

The GCC, made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, reaffirmed that an attack on one member is an attack on all. But whether this declaration signals the beginning of a credible regional security framework, or remains another symbolic gesture, is the real question.

Qatar in the Crosshairs

Opening the summit, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani denounced Israel’s strike on a residence sheltering Hamas leaders and their families in Doha as “blatant, treacherous, and cowardly.”

The attack, which killed six on September 9, came as Hamas representatives were deliberating over a US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

“The assault on mediators proves Israel has no genuine interest in peace,” Sheikh Tamim warned, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to sabotage negotiations while pursuing a dangerous “expansionist vision” across Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and beyond.

For Qatar, the incident was more than an attack on foreign political figures—it was a violation of its sovereignty, and one that raised fundamental questions about regional security architecture.

A Defence Pact in the Making?

In response, GCC officials announced that military consultations were underway to bolster “Gulf deterrent capabilities.” 

A meeting of the bloc’s Unified Military Command will soon convene in Doha to hammer out details.

Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari, spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that the GCC was “standing in one line” and that further steps would be discussed to ensure joint security. 

Yet, he refrained from giving specifics, leaving observers to wonder if this would materialize into more than rhetoric.

Andrea Dessi, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Rome, described the summit as a shift in tone: “At the rhetorical level, we are seeing the beginnings of a coming together… the actions will have to follow.”

Diverging Voices Within a Unified Chorus

Despite the shared outrage, unity did not translate into consensus on tougher measures. The joint communique issued by Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) states stopped short of announcing sanctions or cutting ties with Israel, focusing instead on solidarity and praise for Qatar’s mediation role.

Still, several leaders went further individually.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged economic pressure on Israel and called for prosecution of Israeli officials.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi warned that Israel’s actions violated international law and jeopardized existing peace agreements.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a UN suspension of Israel and proposed an Arab-Islamic task force.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim dismissed condemnations as insufficient, pushing for sanctions and suspension of diplomatic and commercial ties.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian called for Muslim nations to sever relations with Israel, citing repeated violations of sovereignty.

The divergence revealed a familiar regional dynamic: consensus on condemnation, but division on action.

Between Washington and the Region

As the summit unfolded, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Israel, reassuring Netanyahu of Washington’s support even as President Donald Trump reiterated that Israel would not strike Qatar again. 

Qatar, meanwhile, sought to use its close ties with the US to restrain further aggression, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, holding “excellent” meetings in New York with American officials.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, GCC secretary-general, openly urged Washington to step in: “We expect our strategic partners in the US to use their influence on Israel for it to stop this behaviour.”

A Security Reckoning

For Qatar and its Gulf neighbours, Israel’s attack was more than a provocation. It exposed the fragility of the region’s security order, where sovereign states—even wealthy ones—remain vulnerable.

The Doha summit may be remembered less for the condemnations and more for whether it pushes the GCC to finally operationalize a collective defence framework. 

For decades, the council has struggled to bridge internal rivalries and align security priorities. Now, with Israel openly threatening to strike Hamas leaders “anywhere,” the bloc faces a stark choice: translate words into coordinated action, or risk seeing its unity tested by the next missile strike.

As Sheikh Tamim put it, Israel’s pursuit of regional dominance is a “dangerous illusion.” Whether the GCC can transform its own illusions of unity into a credible shield will define the next chapter of Gulf security.