Iraq Summit: Demands to End Gaza War and Launch Peace Process

BAGHDAD, May 17 (YPA) – The 34th Arab Summit, held in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Saturday, focused on the Palestinian issue and the Gaza war as a major topic of discussion.

The summit was attended by a number of Arab leaders, along with the Secretaries-General of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Iraq assumed the presidency of the Arab Summit, succeeding Bahrain.

In his opening remarks, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid noted that the summit was being held amid complex circumstances and serious challenges that threaten the stability and security of the region, impacting the fate of its peoples.

Rashid noted that the primary objective of convening this summit, held shortly after the emergency summit in Cairo, was to unify Arab ranks to confront escalating challenges while emphasizing the importance of joint action to serve the supreme national interests.

For his part, António Guterres noted in his remarks that the region and the world are facing major crises. He began his remarks with the situation in Gaza, emphasizing the United Nations’ rejection of the collective suffering of the Palestinian people and the ongoing displacement of the Strip’s population.

In the same context, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, affirmed that the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people’s right to establish their independent state remain a top priority for the League.

Aboul Gheit explained that the attempts of the Zionist extreme right to control Palestinian territories and commit crimes of genocide against its people constitute a stain on the international community.

He also affirmed the League’s rejection of Israeli expansionist policies justified by the pretext of achieving security in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, noting that these policies will push the region toward a continuous cycle of conflict.

YPA