Promoting unity in the Middle East region

Leaders of Arab and Muslim countries have gathered in the capital of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend an extraordinary summit aimed at finding solutions to prevent military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

This summit presents an opportunity for these countries to unite in efforts to end the ongoing attacks between Israel and the forces of Hamas and Hezbollah, which are pushing the Middle East into a spiral of violent conflict and instability, while also promoting a fair solution for the Palestinian issue.

The summit takes place exactly one year after a similar event was held in Riyadh, bringing together member states of the Arab League (AL) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

At the 2023 summit, Arab and Muslim leaders condemned Isreal’s attacks targeting civilians in Gaza, agreed on urgent humanitarian assistance for this Palestinian territory, called for an end to Israel’s occupation, and expressed support for the Palestinian struggle.

In the past year, the conflict in the Middle East has escalated significantly, with Israel carrying out intense attacks on both the Gaza and Lebanon fronts in retaliation for missile attacks from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The ongoing clashes in Palestinian and Lebanese territories have made the current situation in the region increasingly complex, necessitating a political solution to end the conflict.

The escalating violence in Palestinian and Lebanese territories has forced Arab and Muslim leaders to take urgent action. Their main priorities include preventing further conflict in the territories of member states, protecting civilians, supporting the people of Palestine and Lebanon, unifying their stance, and urging the international community to take decisive steps to end the violence, establish peace, and achieve long-term stability in the region.

Given the unprecedented dangerous developments in Gaza and the common challenges in the region, Arab and Muslim leaders recognise the urgent need to adopt a unified stance and make collective efforts.

The objective of the summit is to initiate immediate international action to end the war in Gaza and Lebanon and to promote a serious political process for achieving a comprehensive and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, based on internationally recognised principles.

The Arab and Muslim countries have strongly condemned Isreal’s continued violations of international law, which threaten to push the Middle East into a severe humanitarian crisis.

These two blocs have consistently emphasised their unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

They affirmed the need to restore the Middle East peace process to ensure a just, long-lasting, and comprehensive peace, and they support the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Last September, just before the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, a ministerial committee of Arab and Muslim countries held a coordination meeting in New York (USA) to strategise on enhancing efforts by Arabs and Muslims to promote the recognition of the Palestinian state and protect Palestinian rights.

An emergency ministerial meeting of the AL and OIC was also held, where member states of these two organisations agreed to intensify efforts to strengthen regional peace, provide humanitarian aid, and promote the implementation of resolutions related to Palestine.

The extraordinary summit of AL and OIC member states is expected to reach consensus and enhance solidarity to confront the region’s multiple challenges.

Among the urgent goals are preventing the ongoing attacks on the occupied and blockaded Palestinian territories, extinguishing the flames of conflict that threaten to spread, seeking a political solution, and advancing the implementation of the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, ultimately working towards establishing long-lasting, sustainable, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

NDO