Saturday’s talks in the Saudi capital with the president of Iran and other Arab leaders are anticipated to emphasize calls for an end to Israel’s conflict in Gaza before the bloodshed spreads to other nations.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League are holding emergency sessions in response to the horrific attacks carried out by Hamas militants on October 7, which according to Israeli sources claimed 1,200 lives and kidnapped 239 more. Over 11,000 people have been murdered in Israel’s ensuing aerial and ground attack, the majority of whom were civilians and many of whom were children, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas.
Aid organizations have added their voices to calls for a ceasefire, citing a humanitarian “catastrophe” in Gaza due to a shortage of food, water, and medication.
The assistant secretary-general of the Arab League, Hossam Zaki, stated this week that the organization wants to show “how the Arabs will move on the international scene to stop the aggression, support Palestine and its people, condemn the Israeli occupation, and hold it accountable for its crimes”.
However, the violent Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad criticized Arab leaders for the postponement and stated on Friday that it did not “expect anything” from the summit.
“We are not placing our hopes on such meetings, for we have seen their results over many years,” Mohammad al-Hindi, the group’s deputy secretary-general, told a press conference in Beirut.
“The fact that this conference will be held after 35 days (of war) is an indication of its outcomes.”
Demands for a ceasefire have so far been rejected by Israel and the United States, which is expected to come under intense criticism during Saturday’s discussions.
According to Saudi researcher Aziz Alghashian, a unified “diplomatic front… will generate diplomatic pressure from Arab and Muslim states.”
He continued, pointing out that criticism from regional leaders thus far shows “that this is not just about Israel-Palestine this is about what is facilitating Israel to do this, which is basically the United States and the West”.
That clash has been on display during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visits to the region, as well as during a stop this week in Riyadh by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who met with a number of his Arab counterparts who have called for a ceasefire.
“What we have said is that calling for a ceasefire is understandable, but what we also recognise is that Israel is taking action to secure its own stability and its own security,” Cleverly said on Thursday.
“Of course we want to see this terrible situation resolved as quickly as possible. The immediate challenge is the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza. That’s why we are focusing on that.”
