ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday urged the creation of an Arab-Islamic task force to keep in check Israeli expansionist designs in the Middle East, demanding the United Nations (UN) suspend Israel’s membership of the global body.

Sharif expressed these views at an Arab‑Islamic summit in Doha in a show of support for Qatar in the wake of a Sept. 9 Israeli attack that targeted Hamas leaders in the Gulf state. The strike, which Hamas says killed five of its members but not its leadership, has prompted Arab Gulf states to forge a united front against the Israeli attack, with Pakistan seeking to leverage its current non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council to push for action.

At the summit, leaders from Muslim nations condemned Israel’s recent actions that they said not only undermined efforts toward coexistence, but also revealed a broader expansionist agenda. Uniting in denunciation of Israeli military actions in the Middle East, they called for coordinated political, legal and economic measures, including the possibility of an economic boycott of Israel, to counter the aggression and to uphold international law. 

Speaking at the summit, PM Sharif voiced Islamabad’s all-out support for Qatar and said the “reckless and provocative” Israeli attack on Doha was a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar and aimed at sabotaging peace efforts in the Middle East.

“Pakistan reiterates following essential and urgent steps that Israel must be held accountable for its war crimes against humanity, creation of an Arab Islamic task force to adopt effective measures toward Israeli expansionist designs,” Sharif said.

“We reiterate the OIC’s call to suspend Israel’s membership of the United Nations,” he said, adding that member states should actively consider implementing other appropriate measures against Israel.

Israeli leaders have lately made pronouncements to expand settlement building in the occupied West Bank to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state,” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he felt “very much” connected to the vision of “Greater Israel” and describing it as a “historic and spiritual mission.”

The comments have triggered widespread outrage across the Arab and Muslim world and have been denounced by several nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Pakistan as well as the Palestinian Authority.

Sharif called the Israeli attack on Doha yet another manifestation of its “declared hegemonic ambitions.”

“We deeply appreciate Qatar’s sincere and tireless diplomatic efforts as it has consistently endeavored to bridge divides and promote the noble cause of regional as well as global peace under the most daunting challenges,” he said.

The Pakistan premier said the injustice in Gaza has reached an “unbearable level,” demanding the UN Security Council ensure an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the territory, release of hostages and exchange of Palestinian prisoners.

“Let history record this great moment when we, the leaders of the Arab-Islamic world, have chosen unity, dignity and courage over silence and inaction,” he added.

Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in Oct. 2023, Pakistan has repeatedly condemned the offensive that has killed nearly 65,000 people, mostly women and children, and called for accountability of Israeli war crimes.

The South Asian country does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for a two-state solution to resolve the crisis. Islamabad supports an independent Palestinian state as per the aspirations of the Palestinian people, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital and according to the pre-1967 borders.

On the sidelines of the summit, Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and conveyed his deep appreciation for his bold leadership in unifying the Muslim world at this critical time.

“The Prime Minister assured the Saudi Crown Prince of Pakistan’s all out diplomatic support, particularly at the United Nations Security Council, where Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member, as well as at all other diplomatic multilateral fora, including the OIC,” the Prime Minister Office said in a statement issued after the meeting.

In his opening remarks as chair of the summit, Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said there was no room to deal with a cowardly and torturous country like Israel.

“We, according to the international law, are entitled to preserve our sovereignty and face up to the Israeli aggression,” he said, adding that Israel really wanted to ensure that Gaza was no longer livable.

“They [Israeli] believe in what they term as the ‘Greater Israel,’ and they take advantage of the war to expand the settlements and to achieve and undertake aggressions and incursions.”

Hissein Ibrahim Taha, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General, urged the UNSC to bear its responsibility to deter Israel against the various aggressions.

“We would like to review the need to implement the decisions of the United Nations, particularly with regard to the ceasefire [in Gaza], and to allow free access of aid to the Gaza Strip,” the OIC chief said at the summit.

As Israel continues to press forward with its expansionist agenda, analysts emphasize that a symbolic show of unity at the summit would do little to influence Israel and only a unified economic boycott could give the summit “real weight.”

“The number one punitive measure could be to have a complete economic boycott of Israel,” former Pakistani ambassador Asif Durrani told Arab News. “The oil embargo was used in 1974 and that did work which was in the backdrop of 1973 Egypt war.”

Durrani said Arab countries should also close their airspace for Israel to give a strong message of unity.

“Diplomatic unity has been shown by the summit but concrete steps [are] needed so that the United States and Israel should take this gathering seriously,” he added.

Amina Khan, director of the Center for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, said this summit could only be impactful if concrete actions are taken by the participants collectively.

“So far, economic tools have not been used and the trade route has not been blocked,” she said, urging Muslim countries which have diplomatic relations with Israel to call back their ambassadors. “This conference will only make a difference if it delivers in terms of concrete and practical steps to harm Israel in terms of economic and political clout.”

Javed Hafeez, another former Pakistani ambassador who served in the Middle East, said the decisions made at the summit must be implemented in both letter and spirit.

“Whether a task force or to do an economic boycott... whatever it is must be implemented,” he told Arab News.