OIC: Eagle or Ostrich ?

An emergency summit of Arab and Islamic country leaders was held in Doha on 15 September 2025, which condemned Israel’s “cowardly” attack on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, but the participants made no promises of concrete action. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s pledge to “activate a joint defence mechanism” may have been the most actionable result of the summit, which was opened by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who called the Israeli bombing “blatant, treacherous, and cowardly”. Qatar’s frustration and disappointment can be gauged from the fact that it has the largest American Military Base in the Arab World, and gifted billions of dollars worth Flying Palace to POTUS Trump and purchased trillion dollars worth military hardware from the USA in the recent past. Besides, Qatar continued to play as a messenger and host for fetching diplomatic outcome in favour of USA and Allies’ Military misadventures in Afghanistan and in the other ME countries including Palestine; and yet the American Security umbrella failed to protect its sovereignty against unbridled Israeli Air raids and bombing in Qatar. Quite obviously Qatar must have hoped to present a united response to Israel’s attack but leaders offered different views about what to do, and the group agreed to take only minimal action.Obviously,the West’s strong influence and significant differences among the nations blunted any likely attempt at real military cooperation.

Strong condemnations came from countries like Malaysia, Turkiye, Pakistan and Iran. Meanwhile, the nations that have diplomatic recognition deals with Israel were reluctant to sever those ties. Ironically, Monday, 15 September was also the fifth anniversary of the signing by Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates of the Abraham Accords that marked their formal recognition of Israel. The best statement came from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who said, “Condemnations will not stop the missiles. Declarations will not free Palestine. Severe, punitive actions must be put in place.”

Israel, which invaded Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has retaliated against the militant group and other members of Iran’s so-called Axis of Resistance elsewhere, including in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and now Qatar. That’s fueled wider anger among Mideast nations already enraged by the deaths of more than 64,000 Palestinians during the continuing total decimation of Gaza and genocide of Palestinian Muslims with complete impunity and disregard to internal laws, UNO calls, worldwide protests against Israeli brutalities and mere lip service by the OIC. Hence, the latest Air Raid on Qatar should have contributed to growing concern that the U.S’ commitment and heavy presence to protect Gulf Arab states is neither intended nor directed, but in fact it only ensures the unchallenged compliance to American and Allies diktat. The mass killings of Muslims and overt and covert military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and now in Gaza Palestine, has been happening without significant joint military retaliation. If American and allies supported holocaust and annihilation in Gaza with most destructive weapons , besides using Starvation as a weapon of war is not terrorism, what else is? Will it lead to conversion of IMCTC into a NATO-like potent OIC military alliance? IMCTCT is an intergovernmental military alliance of 43 Muslim-majority countries with a joint operations center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, launched in 2015 and 2017 and commanded by a former Pakistan Army Chief. The chances look bleak for such a realisation with Western brought up and gilded life styles loving rulers and indulgent public. Almost all Arab States are busy in senseless competition of constructing bigger, larger, taller, more innovative and opulent palaces, towers, shopping malls, hotels, amusement parks, residential paradises; and Jews’ Synagogues, Churches and Hindu Temples; hugging, kissing and making the killing foes stronger and richer. Whom to  blame and what is the hope?

Unfortunately, cowardice covered under the garb of diplomacy has been used by almost all Muslim countries since the elimination of Turkish Khilafat, leading to an ostrich and dovish approach instead of readopting the lost  Wolf, Tiger and Eagle like individual and collective characters. Alhamdulillah, Pakistan Armed Forces are strongest among the Muslim states with effective Nuclear Deterrence and counter strike capability in place. Recently, the whole world witnessed its manifestation when Pakistan Armed Forces gave a jaw breaking response to Indian Air raids on  Pakistan from 7 to 10 May 2025; and the Indian attempt to copycat Israel with intelligence, technological and drones support backfired with multifaceted heavy backlash. One must not forget the Chinese consistent Support to Pakistan and  American blunder of betting on India as a Strategic Partner in Asia.

It is a decisive moment. Pakistan should take the lead in forming a strong Muslim Military Alliance (MMA), with Headquarters based in Islamabad Pakistan; converting IMCTC into a potent NATO like alliance, in which all OIC countries must have representation with significant contributions from Iran, Turkiye, Egypt, KSA, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh. Rich Muslim states should share the major economic burden. The proposed MMA should align closely with the Security Forum of SCO (China) and CSTO (Russia). United we stand, Divided we fall !