AT the 33rd Arab League Summit in Manama, Bahrain, Arab leaders called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and endorsed the two-state solution.
Chaired by Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the summit covered a wide range of regional issues.
King Hamad emphasized the need for Arab unity and dialogue to end the war’s bloodshed and achieve a just peace.
He also advocated for full recognition of the State of Palestine and its acceptance as a UN member, stating it would benefit the entire region.
Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, attributing them to political support from certain Western countries. The Bahrain Declaration, issued after the summit, aims to halt Israeli aggression and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It rejects forced displacement of Palestinians and calls for a just peace solution.
The declaration supports President Mahmoud Abbas’s call for an international peace conference and urges quick recognition of the State of Palestine. Arab foreign ministers will continue to push for this recognition and the state’s full UN membership.
Gheit praised the unity among Arab countries at the summit, noting the significant attendance of leaders and representatives from 21 out of 22 Arab nations.
“The day before yesterday, foreign ministers or ministers of state of 21 out of 22 Arab countries attended [the diplomatic preparatory meeting for the summit], which hardly happened before. At today’s summit, we also saw the broad participation of Arab leaders,” said Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.
Leaders discussed various regional and international issues, including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdulla II bin Al Hussein, and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
