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Leaders and dignitaries gathered at the Arab League summit in Baghdad on Saturday issued condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza, calling it “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” amid mounting humanitarian crisis.
In his opening speech, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid criticised the “systematic genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli forces, renewing Iraq's opposition to their forcible displacement.
Mr Rashid called on Arab countries to “unify stances to face the mounting challenges”, adding: “We cannot compartmentalise the security we have in common”. He underlined that dialogue is the only way forward for a real solution to regional conflicts.
The annual meeting begun as Israel's army announced it was launching “initial stages” of another Gaza operation, and Palestinian officials said more than 100 people had been killed in the latest attacks.
The army said it had launched “extensive strikes” as part of the new offensive in Gaza.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said there was an urgent need to “stop the massacres” in the enclave and called for the doors of humanitarian aid to open and for a “responsible Arab position to save Gaza”.
“We saw the pictures of children in the hundreds fighting for a piece of bread that they might obtain or go back empty-handed,” said Mr Al Sudani, pledging $20 million to rebuild Gaza.
For his part, Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Aboul Gheit told the delegates that Israel is carrying out “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza as the world watches.
“It is shameful for a country to carry out ethnic cleansing on a people while the world is silent, and for the killing of children and civilians to become normal,” said Mr Aboul Gheit. He thanked Egypt and Qatar for their efforts in attempting to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.
The summit's final communique will focus on “stopping the genocide in Palestine and will express support for the Syrian people’s choices, solidarity with Lebanon and Yemen and a call for political solutions in Sudan and Libya” an Iraqi diplomat told The National.
Gaza's Health Ministry on Saturday said 153 had been killed and 459 wounded in Israeli attacks since Friday.
In an announcement on Telegram, the Israeli army said it had begun the “initial stages” of the offensive, known as Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
The operation is part of “the expansion of the battle in the Gaza Strip, with the goal of achieving all the war’s objectives, including the release of the abducted and the defeat of Hamas,” it said in a post in Arabic.
A separate statement in English said the army was “mobilising troops to achieve operational control in areas of the Gaza Strip.”
The Arab Summit also comes a day after US President Donald Trump wrapped up his four-day tour of the Gulf, which took him to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
During the visit, Mr Trump said that “good things” would come to Gaza within the next month.
Mr Trump said he wanted to “help out” Palestinians as he acknowledged that “a lot of people are starving in Gaza”.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was the first Arab leader to arrive in Baghdad on Friday, followed by the President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, led the UAE delegation.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, were also in attendance.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had arrived for the summit along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has sharply criticised Israel's offensive in Gaza. He addressed the gathering as a guest of honour.
Among those missing the summit is Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara after an invitation from the Iraqi prime minister sparked protests over his past links to Al Qaeda. Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani will represent Damascus.
In an interview with Iraqi state TV late on Friday, Mr Al Shaibani expressed his country's desire for “full support from Arab brothers” in facing challenges and ensuring stability and security. “We want Syria to be stable and secure, free from foreign interference,” he said.
He emphasised the strong ties between Syria and Iraq, stating that their security is “common” and that they have had “high-level co-ordination” since the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad in December. He added that what “harms Iraq harms Syria, and what harms Syria harms Iraq.”
Syria is willing to develop ties in various fields, including politics, economics, and investment, Mr Al Shaibani added.
“We will go wherever Iraq chooses in this relationship,” he added.
