President Joseph Aoun with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, on the sidelines of the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, Sept. 15, 2025. (Credit: Syrian Presidency)
President Joseph Aoun condemned last week’s Israeli strike on the Qatari capital that targeted a Hamas negotiating team during his speech on Monday at the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha.
It was the first time since his election in January that Aoun attended an extraordinary summit. He urged Arab countries to adopt a “unified” stance, saying the “response” to the attack must be “clear.”
Alongside his support for Doha, Aoun affirmed that Lebanon was “ready for peace,” citing the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative centered on a two-state solution. “The message of the aggression against Qatar is ... clear and explicit,” he said. “So, I am here to say ... that the response required must be just as clear.”
He added: “The attack against our dear Doha targets the very concept of mediation and the principle of conflict resolution through dialogue ..., and an aggression against a brother is an aggression against ourselves.” He stressed the aim was not only to kill negotiators, but to “eliminate the very idea of negotiation.”
Aoun urged participant states to take a unified stance at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 22 in New York. “In a few days, we will head to New York, where the whole world will gather in search of peace. Let us go with a unified stance, embodied in a single question: Does the Israeli government want a lasting and just peace in our region? If the answer is yes, we are ready, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by Saudi Arabia at the Beirut summit in 2002 and unanimously adopted by our Arab League,” he said.
He noted that the initiative enjoys international support, pointing to the recognition of Palestine by many countries. “The best proof is the declaration adopted a few days ago by the United Nations General Assembly by an overwhelming majority, under the name ‘New York Declaration,’ as a result of relentless efforts by Saudi Arabia and France, which sets out concrete measures, with a timeline, leading to a two-state solution,” he said.
Aoun called for immediate talks “under the auspices of the United Nations and all those who aspire to peace, to examine the implications” of Israel’s response.
“If the answer is no, or partial, or if there is no response, we will understand the reality of the situation and act accordingly. Maybe we can at least end the series of disappointments for our people and before history,” he concluded.
Qatar’s position
Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, warned that Israel seeks “to push Lebanon toward civil war.” He said Israel responded to the Lebanese government’s acceptance of the American roadmap with “bombings and assassinations.”
According to information obtained by local media, a donor conference to support the Lebanese Army may take place in November in Riyadh, possibly followed by a reconstruction conference before the year’s end — pending agreement with the International Monetary Fund and adoption of the law on financial losses.
Qatari support for Lebanon
Aoun was received at Hamad International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Culture Minister Abdulrahman bin Hamad, and other Qatari officials, along with Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji.
Aoun later met the Qatari emir in his summit suite, reiterating Lebanon’s solidarity with Doha and condemning the Israeli attack.
“Lebanon’s support for Qatar and its solidarity with the brotherly Qatari people is unwavering,” he said, thanking Doha for its consistent backing of Lebanon. The emir, in turn, reaffirmed “Qatar’s constant support for Lebanon and its people, as well as its tireless efforts to ensure security and stability.”
The state-run National News Agency reported that before the summit’s group photo, Aoun greeted his Syrian counterpart Ahmad al-Sharaa, with whom he later held talks alongside their foreign ministers, Joe Rajji and Assaad al-Shaibani.
According to local channel LBCI, the meeting was positive, with both sides agreeing that Rajji and Shaibani should meet soon to discuss bilateral relations.
Aoun also held brief meetings with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sabah Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah, Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Omani Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs Shihab bin Tariq al-Said, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Rajji’s diplomacy
Present in Doha since Sunday, Rajji met his Qatari counterpart, Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, on the sidelines of the summit, the Qatari news agency QNA reported. They discussed bilateral ties and regional developments, particularly after the Israeli strike. The Qatari minister said his country “will take all necessary measures to protect its security and preserve its sovereignty.”
Rajji reiterated Lebanon’s solidarity with Qatar, calling the strike “a violation of sovereignty and international law.” He also attended a preparatory meeting with Arab League foreign ministers.
Rajji further met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, holding what he described as “an in-depth discussion about the situation in Lebanon and the broader region.”
He wrote on X: “I spoke candidly about the Lebanese government’s decision to restore the state’s monopoly over arms and assert its sovereignty over the entire national territory. Araghchi, for his part, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and refrain from any interference in its internal affairs.”
Last June, Rajji refused to meet Araghchi during his visit to Beirut and summoned Iran’s ambassador, Mojtaba Amani, after Tehran opposed Hezbollah’s disarmament.
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