JEDDAH: The Arab League has reiterated the need for unity for security and stability in the region.
The 32nd summit of the Arab League concluded with member countries adopting the Jeddah Declaration, in which they reiterated the need for unity for security and stability in the region.
The summit — convened in Jeddah with Syria participating for the first time after over a decade — deliberated over various issues also including the Palestinian-Israeli dispute and developments in Yemen, Libya, Lebanon and Sudan.
The member nations at the summit declared Palestine as a central cause and reaffirmed its right “to absolute authority over all territories occupied in 1967, including east Jerusalem.” The significance of “activating the Arab Peace Initiative” — proposed by the Saudi Kingdom and endorsed by the Arab League in the Beirut summit in 2002 — was also raised by the member states.
Arab League’s concluding statement mentioned how the Israel-Palestinian violence continued intensifying for months with raids by the Israeli military and settler violence in the West Bank becoming a frequent affair. “Since January, more than 140 Palestinians and at least 19 Israelis and foreigners have been killed in the West Bank and Israel,” Al Arabiya reported.
Syria’s return to Arab League was also welcomed by the bloc after over a decade-long hiatus and isolation in the region. Member states hoped the major development will promote stability and unity within Syria. “[We] must intensify Arab efforts to help Syria resolve its crisis,” the declaration stated.
Syria remained suspended by the 22-member forum from November 2011 due to its regime’s lethal crackdown on protests, which turned into a conflict and claimed the lives of over 500,000 people as well as caused displacement of millions of people.
Rejecting “foreign interferences” in the internal affairs of Arab countries, the bloc’s declaration mentioned: “[We] completely reject supporting the formation of armed militias… [and warn] that internal military conflicts will only aggravate people’s suffering.”
The member countries also spoke about the ongoing situation in Sudan between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its army with member countries rejecting “foreign interferences that inflame the conflict and threaten regional security and stability.” The forum called for unity and dialogue among the warring sides.
On the issue of Yemen, the group reiterated support for all the international and regional efforts aimed at finding a political solution to the years-long warfare which has killed thousands of people besides leaving millions reliant on global support.
On Lebanon, the member states urged the authorities to elect a president and constitute a cabinet “as soon as possible,” for executing economic reforms and tackle the ongoing crisis in the country.
