IPI slams Arab-Islamic Summit for ‘empty rhetoric’

Abdullah Jan

Islamabad: Islamabad Policy Institute (IPI) on Thursday denounced the Arab-Islamic Summit as “disappointing,” saying it failed to deliver concrete measures to address the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and Syria.

The Islamabad-based think tank argued that the summit, held in Riyadh on November 11, lacked substance, offering symbolic support rather than the practical relief urgently needed by Palestinians.

While the summit’s communique reaffirmed support for Palestinian sovereignty and condemned Israeli aggression, it relied heavily on appeals to international organizations like the United Nations—an approach IPI criticized as ineffective given the UN’s limited impact in curbing Israel’s policies. “By relying on these ineffective entities, the summit missed a vital opportunity to leverage the political and economic influence of Muslim nations to influence Israel directly,” IPI’s statement said.

Dr. Shireen Mazari, chairperson of IPI, issued a blunt assessment of the summit’s shortcomings. “The Arab League-OIC Summit has once again been a disappointment,” she said. “At a time when there was an expectation that leaders of the Ummah would take concrete action against rogue Israel—if not through a coordinated military response, then at least through basic political and economic actions—there was nothing. At a minimal level, there should have been a withdrawal of diplomatic recognition and the imposition of trade sanctions. Yet, once again, we are left with empty rhetoric.”

IPI’s chief criticisms was the summit’s failure to initiate independent, actionable measures that could have immediate impact. The institute emphasized the need for economic sanctions, a boycott of Israeli goods, or direct support for Palestinian resistance—all actions that could be implemented without waiting for international consensus. Instead, the communique defaulted to calls for UN intervention, lacking the resolve or coordination to achieve measurable outcomes.

“The summit’s inability to leverage the collective economic and political power of its members highlights a larger problem in the Muslim bloc’s approach to the Palestinian issue,” the IPI statement noted. “Despite repeated declarations of solidarity, these meetings rarely translate into real improvements for people on the ground.”

IPI also highlighted the summit’s lack of response to Gaza’s critical humanitarian needs. Gazans had hoped the summit would secure the opening of the Rafah crossing, facilitate medical and food supplies, and organize evacuations for the sick and injured. Yet, no concrete measures were taken to address these immediate needs.

“Some non-Muslim states have done more than any Muslim state,” Mazari remarked, calling the lack of action “shocking and disappointing.”

Another significant issue raised by IPI was the summit’s continued focus on the two-state solution. Given recent statements from Israeli leaders advocating annexation of the West Bank, IPI argued that the two-state framework is increasingly obsolete. “Instead of clinging to outdated diplomatic solutions, the summit should prioritize enforceable actions, such as an arms embargo on Israel, economic restrictions, and diplomatic isolation until Israel ceases its aggressive policies,” the statement said.