It's Time to Unite: When Will a Muslim NATO Be Formed?

The Israeli occupation's genocide in Gaza has once again exposed the fragmentation of the Islamic world. Unity is now necessary to ensure peace and security in Muslim countries. The creation of a NATO-like military alliance by Islamic countries has become a necessity. It is time to put aside political and economic differences, unite around common values, and fulfill historical responsibilities, says an analysis by Yeni Şafak.

The number of people killed and injured in the attacks carried out by the terrorist Israeli state in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has reached 64,803, and the number of people injured has reached 164,264.

Following the Israeli aggression against six countries, an extraordinary joint meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was held in Doha.

Until now, the leaders of Muslim countries have met many times, but they have not been able to move beyond condemning the Zionists.

The ongoing massacres in Gaza are wounding the conscience of all humanity, while the fragmentation of the Islamic world has become unbearable.

The Doha summit saw a slight change in this regard: the participants acknowledged that today the Islamic world has become mere spectators of the massacre in Gaza, that they lack unity among themselves, and that they are pursuing a very weak policy in the international arena.

Many politicians and Islamic scholars believe that the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) must unite, become a single voice and a single force to prevent these atrocities.

So, what steps can be taken to achieve this?

Islamic countries must put aside political and economic differences and unite around common values.

The truth that "there is no peace without unity" was once again clearly demonstrated in Gaza.

The dispersion and lack of unity of nearly 2 billion Muslims has left them powerless against several countries.

At this point, the need for the Islamic world to create its own defense and peacekeeping forces became an agenda.

This structure should unite Muslim forces not only in the military, but also in the diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian spheres.

To this end, each Muslim country should set aside a certain number of soldiers and resources to form a joint "peace army". A defense and humanitarian aid fund should be established, with the wealthy countries taking the lead. At the same time, an "Islamic Defense Council" should be established in a neutral city (for example, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, or Doha). Attacks on civilians should be considered an automatic basis for intervention in this alliance.

If Islamic countries do not take this step, the massacres will continue, and Muslims everywhere will be left alone and defenseless. Once an alliance is formed, no oppressive power will dare to attack innocent people easily.

History shows that divided nations perish; united nations survive.

The blood shed in Gaza today is not just the blood of Gaza, it is the blood of the entire Islamic world. Now is the time for action, not just empty talk.