Egypt’s push to establish a Nato-style Arab defence alliance was rejected at the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit in Doha, leaving President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi isolated and frustrated. Diplomats confirmed that Qatar and the UAE led opposition to the plan, which aimed to form a rapid-response regional force under the 1950 Joint Defence and Economic Cooperation Treaty to counter external threats, particularly Israel.

Divisions Over Leadership and Scope

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty presented the plan as a regional shield independent of foreign powers, but internal rifts quickly surfaced. While Egypt argued its army was best positioned to lead, Saudi Arabia insisted on commanding the force. Days later, Riyadh signed a separate mutual defence pact with Pakistan, underlining shifting alliances. Gulf states also ruled out the inclusion of Iran or Türkiye, narrowing the initiative to their own defence council.

US Pressure and Limited Arab Action

Despite the summit’s stated goal of Arab-Islamic unity, US influence played a decisive role. A Qatari delegation returned from Washington urging restraint, with assurances that President Donald Trump would restrain Israel. Emirati officials strongly backed this stance, resulting in a final statement condemning Israel’s strike on Doha but avoiding concrete measures.

Egypt’s Growing Alarm

The rejection dealt a blow to Cairo, which has grown increasingly alarmed by Israel’s operations in Gaza and threats of forced displacement of Palestinians into North Sinai. In a significant shift, Sisi publicly described Israel as “an enemy” for the first time since taking office in 2014. Analysts said the failure underscored long-standing Arab divisions over military cohesion, recalling similar unsuccessful attempts in 2015 to revive the Arab joint defence treaty.