Arab and Muslim states call for review of diplomatic, economic relations with Israel

The joint communiqué released by the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha on Monday has called for a review of diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, following its unprecedented air strikes on Qatar last week targeting the Hamas political bureau.

The final statement issued by the summit's participants called for a "complete and absolute rejection" of the repeated Israeli threats to Qatar and other Arab or Muslim nations. Israel has previously said it will go after Hamas anywhere it chooses. 

It also contained a "categorical rejection" of any attempts to seek to justify the kind of attack seen in Qatar, which "aims to thwart the serious efforts to reach a political solution that ends the occupation". 

The statement also tasked the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) with taking "all possible measures to support the implementation of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against perpetrators of crimes against the Palestinian people".

At a press conference following the summit, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League, Hossam Zaki, said it remains "necessary to preserve the mediation role to stop the Gaza war," while also agreeing that Israel is a "rogue state" in the region. 

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, told reporters the gathering of leaders was "a historic event that affirms the unity of the Arab and Islamic front," and sends a clear message "rejecting the treacherous Israeli aggression against Qatar".

He added that "the Palestinian cause will remain at the heart of [our] priorities until the Palestinian people obtain their full legitimate rights".