Arab leaders meeting in Baghdad on May 17th called for an swift end to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, the Associated Press reported.
They also demanded the unconditional flow of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territories and pledged to support reconstruction efforts once the conflict ends.
The summit, attended by key regional figures including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, comes amid a surge in Israeli attacks following the collapse of a January ceasefire with Hamas.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described the current situation in Gaza as “genocide” and announced a $20 million Iraqi contribution toward Gaza’s reconstruction, along with an almost equal amount for Lebanon.
“We demand an immediate end to the Israeli aggression on Gaza and an end to hostilities that are increasing the suffering of innocent civilians,” Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said.
The declaration emphasised the need for unrestricted humanitarian aid and rejected any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians, calling such actions “a crime against humanity and [an act of] ethnic cleansing.”
Egypt’s El-Sissi reaffirmed that peace in the region remains unattainable without the establishment of a Palestinian state. “A lasting, just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will remain elusive unless a Palestinian state is established in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions,” he said.
He also noted Egypt’s ongoing efforts, coordinated with Qatar and the United States, to broker a ceasefire and announced plans to host a reconstruction conference for Gaza.
The summit expanded on a previous March emergency Arab League meeting in Cairo, which endorsed rebuilding Gaza without displacing its population of around two million. On May 17th, the leaders backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ call for an global peace conference to work toward a two-state solution. Abbas also urged Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza and hand over weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
The meeting was attended by international guests, including U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Guterres urged for the release of Israeli hostages and condemned any “forced displacement” of Palestinians.
The summit was overshadowed by a high-profile regional visit by US President Donald Trump. Trump met with newly-installed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and pledged to lift US sanctions on Syria, Al Jazeera reported on May 13th. Al-Sharaa, a former militant who once fought US forces in Iraq, did not attend the Baghdad summit. Syria was instead represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
Tensions surrounding Syria’s new leadership were reflected in the summit’s final moments, which voiced support for Syria’s unity, condemned foreign intervention, and denounced recent Israeli strikes inside Syrian territory.
Arab leaders also welcomed the planned removal of US sanctions on Syria, stating that easing restrictions would “speed up recovery and the reconstruction process.”
The Associated Press, Al Jazeera,
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