Today, Monday, an emergency Islamic summit kicks off in the capital, Doha, to discuss ways to respond to Israel, which continues to target Arab and Islamic countries, starting from Palestinian territories to Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Qatar. The summit is expected to explore diplomatic and economic responses to Israel amidst questions about the Arab world’s capability to respond militarily.
These questions are highlighted by statistics on the military capacities of regional armies in 2025, according to the ‘Global Firepower’ site. The site indicates that ‘the Arabs possess significant military capabilities compared to Israel, whether in terms of military spending or equipment.’ Algeria ranks second in the Arab world and 21st globally with $25 billion, followed by Morocco with $13.4 billion, then Qatar with $9.4 billion, Oman with an estimated $8.2 billion, and Iraq with about $8 billion. Kuwait spends approximately $7 billion, followed by Egypt with about $6 billion.
These statistics indicate that the total spending of just eight Arab countries is estimated at $152 billion, compared to Israel’s $30.5 billion military expenditure in 2025. This means that these eight Arab countries spend five times what Israel spends on its military in 2025. Site statistics suggest that only seven Arab countries possess multiple times the human resources and military equipment in land, sea, and air weaponry.
The previous figures and statistics reveal that only seven out of 22 Arab countries have multiple times the Israeli army’s capabilities, whether on land, sea, or air. In addition to defense capabilities, the geographical location of Arab countries surrounding Israel gives them a military advantage, especially regarding supply lines, logistical support, and airspace, which could be used to impose an aerial blockade on Israel in the event of war.
