[MIDDLE EAST] On November 11, Arab and Muslim leaders demanded Israel's withdrawal from seized Palestinian territory as a requirement for regional peace, while condemning "shocking" Israeli atrocities in war-torn Gaza.
A summit gathering in the Saudi capital of Riyadh allowed the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's 57 states to speak with one voice on the region's upheaval, more than a year into the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The summit, which brought together leaders from across the Arab and Muslim world, was marked by a sense of urgency and solidarity. Many participants expressed deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with several speakers emphasizing the need for immediate action to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians. The gathering also served as a platform for regional powers to reassert their commitment to the Palestinian cause, which some observers had feared was waning in the face of geopolitical shifts and normalization efforts with Israel.
It happened less than a week after Donald Trump, Israel's main military ally, was re-elected president of the United States.
According to the summit's closing statement, a just and comprehensive peace in the region... cannot be achieved without ending the Israeli occupation of all occupied Arab territories to the line of June 4, 1967, which includes the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, Gaza, and the Golan Heights.
The statement referred to UN resolutions calling for Israel to withdraw from these regions, as well as the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, in which Arab states promised Israel normalized relations in exchange for a two-state solution with the Palestinians along 1967 borders.
The summit's emphasis on the 1967 borders and the Arab Peace Initiative highlighted the continued relevance of these long-standing proposals in the eyes of Arab and Muslim leaders. However, some analysts noted that the rapidly changing situation on the ground, including ongoing Israeli settlement expansion and the complex political dynamics within Palestinian territories, could pose significant challenges to implementing these solutions. The leaders' reaffirmation of these principles, nonetheless, sent a strong message about their vision for a lasting peace in the region.
The international community should "launch a plan with specific steps and timing under international sponsorship" to realize an independent Palestinian state, according to the statement.
Hamas later challenged Arab and Muslim nations to back up their promises with action.
"The establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital would require more immediate efforts and practical solutions to force (Israel) to stop its aggression and genocide against our people," said Hamas in a statement.
The hard-right Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains hostile to Palestinian independence, and Israel's new foreign minister, Gideon Saar, has rejected the possibility as "unrealistic."
On November 11, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich pledged to strive for the annexation of sections of the West Bank by 2025.
The stark contrast between the summit's calls for Palestinian statehood and the Israeli government's stance underscored the deep divisions that continue to hinder peace efforts. Smotrich's comments about West Bank annexation, in particular, drew sharp criticism from many summit attendees, who viewed such statements as provocative and detrimental to the peace process. Some participants called for increased international pressure on Israel to halt settlement expansion and engage in meaningful negotiations.
The Riyadh summit underlined regional leaders' desire for Palestinian areas, including Gaza, which is divided from the West Bank by Israeli territory, to be merged into a future state.
The leaders also denounced Israel's army's "horrific and shocking crimes," which took place "in the context of the crime of genocide."
The conflict began on October 7 of last year, when Hamas launched an unprecedented offensive on Israel, killing 1,206 people, the majority of whom were civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli government data.
Israel's retaliatory bombardment has killed over 43,600 people in Gaza, the majority of them are civilians, according to estimates from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which the UN deems accurate.
The staggering death toll in Gaza was a central focus of the summit, with many leaders expressing outrage at what they perceived as disproportionate use of force by Israel. Several speakers called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza's beleaguered population. The summit also addressed the long-term consequences of the conflict, including the destruction of infrastructure, displacement of civilians, and the psychological impact on survivors, particularly children.
The Lebanese armed organization Hezbollah, which, like Hamas, is sponsored by Iran, began shooting on Israel following the October 7 attack in apparent support of its Palestinian affiliate.
The routine cross-border trades increased in late September. Israel increased its air raids and eventually committed ground forces into southern Lebanon.
Addressing the conference on November 11, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that the world must "immediately halt the Israeli actions against our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon" and described Israel's campaign in Gaza as "genocide".
Prince Mohammed, the Gulf kingdom's de facto ruler, also urged Israel not to strike Iran, showing the warming relationship between Riyadh and its regional competitor Tehran.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned that his country was facing a "existential" problem and criticized countries for interfering in its domestic affairs, a thinly veiled jab at Iran.
According to Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, officials were undoubtedly thinking about Trump's win to a second term in the White House last week.
"This summit is very much an opportunity for regional leaders to signal to the incoming Trump administration what they want in terms of US engagement," she told the audience.
The summit's timing, coming shortly after Trump's re-election, added an extra layer of significance to the proceedings. Many participants viewed the gathering as a crucial opportunity to present a united front and articulate clear expectations for U.S. policy in the region. Some leaders expressed hope that a second Trump administration might take a more balanced approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while others voiced concerns about potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy that could further complicate peace efforts.
Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref stated in his speech that "the world is waiting" for Trump to "immediately end the war against the innocent people of Gaza and Lebanon."
The final declaration contained a plea to halt the shipment and transfer of weapons to Israel.
Despite concerns over the damage Israel's military campaign has had on Gaza residents, departing US President Joe Biden has assured that Washington remains Israel's most significant military ally after more than a year of combat.
During his first term, Trump bucked international consensus with a series of actions welcomed by the Israeli government but criticized by Palestinians.
He recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, relocated the US embassy, and supported Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law.
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