RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is taking a lead in diplomatic efforts to address the escalating situation in Gaza by hosting an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit. The summit, convened on Saturday, brings together nations from both the Islamic and Arab worlds to discuss and formulate a unified response to the worsening crisis.
The summit aims to provide a platform for collective action and a unified stance against the increasing hostilities in the region.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing the summit, drew attention not only to the dire situation in Gaza but also to the escalating Israeli forces’ raids in the occupied West Bank. President Abbas urged the United States administration to intervene and put an end to “Israel’s aggression, the occupation, violation, and desecration of our holy sites.” He emphasized that military and security solutions have repeatedly failed, rejecting any efforts to displace Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank.
The joint summit, announced by Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry late on Friday, consolidates the initially scheduled separate summits of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League into a single meeting. The decision to merge the summits was made in consultation with members of both organizations.
The OIC includes member states from across the Islamic world, including the Palestinian territories’ neighbouring countries Egypt and Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq. The summit aims to foster collaboration and solidarity among participating nations to address the immediate challenges faced by the Palestinian people.
