Extraordinary Arab Human Rights Assembly Condemns Israeli Aggression on Qatar, Calls for UN Action

Doha, September 16, 2025 — The Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) convened an extraordinary General Assembly in Doha at the invitation of Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) to address the repercussions of Israel’s recent assault on Qatar. The meeting denounced the attack as a grave violation of human rights, state sovereignty, and international law, and urged immediate international accountability measures.
The assembly recommended supporting the outcomes of the Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha, intensifying political pressure, and mobilizing diplomatic tools to halt Israeli violations. It endorsed calls to suspend Israel’s membership in the United Nations under Article 5 of the UN Charter, accelerate investigations into war crimes, and expand accountability to include the aggression against Qatar.
H.E. Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah, Chairperson of the NHRC, condemned Israel’s targeting of civilian areas, schools, kindergartens, diplomatic missions, and other facilities. She confirmed that six civilians were killed, including a member of Qatar’s Internal Security Force, while several others were injured. She noted that the NHRC has documented all violations and humanitarian tragedies caused by the aggression, which has had severe psychological impacts on children, women, and patients with chronic illnesses. More than a thousand students were also temporarily deprived of their right to education due to school damage and the climate of fear created by the attacks. Al-Attiyah emphasized that this meeting reflected a joint commitment to halt violations, end impunity, and strengthen international protection mechanisms. She called for continuous monitoring, international lawsuits, and global advocacy campaigns to expose Israel’s violations.
H.E. Amina Bouayach, President of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and of Morocco’s National Human Rights Council, expressed full and unconditional solidarity with Qatar, describing the assault as a blatant violation of sovereignty. She also commended the resilience of human rights defenders in Palestine and Lebanon, who continue their work under war conditions.
H.E. Samar Al-Hajj, President of the Arab Network of NHRIs, said the aggression was systematic state terrorism that had expanded beyond Gaza to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and now Qatar. She underlined that the attack on Doha threatened regional and global security, while praising Qatar’s diplomatic efforts for peace, mediation, and alleviating civilian suffering.
H.E. Sultan bin Hassan Al-Jamali, Secretary-General of the Arab Network, explained that the assault on Qatar violated Article 2/4 of the UN Charter prohibiting the use of force, and also breached international humanitarian law that bans attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. He pointed out that the assembly’s recommendations included strengthening cooperation among Arab human rights bodies, preparing independent reports for international mechanisms, supporting victims legally, exposing violations globally, and expanding alliances to submit documented cases before international courts.
Issam Arouri, Head of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Palestine, described the assault on Qatar as a criminal violation of sovereignty and a sign of Israel’s growing impunity. He accused Israel of crossing borders, destroying hospitals, schools, shelters, and religious sites, while systematically targeting journalists and humanitarian workers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Fadi Jirjis, Head of Lebanon’s National Human Rights Institution, said the aggression against Qatar was a wake-up call for the entire international community. He stressed that international legitimacy cannot be selectively applied, recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Charter enshrine state sovereignty and the prohibition of force, principles that have been clearly violated in this case.
The assembly concluded by urging Arab and Islamic states to uphold their legal obligations, support the Doha Summit outcomes, and press international courts to accelerate investigations into Israeli crimes. It reaffirmed its solidarity with Qatar and called for collective regional and international efforts to hold Israel accountable for crimes that threaten not only Palestinians but also regional and global peace.