Arab and Muslim leaders call for concrete steps to end conflict Gaza And Lebanon When they met at an extraordinary summit in Riyadh on Monday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened a meeting of the 22-member Arab League and the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation by demanding that Israel immediately stop its “military aggression” and humanitarian blockade of Gaza.

He condemned Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “genocide” and condemned Israel’s decision to ban the UN Palestinian aid agency Unrwa. He called on states to recognize a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank with East Jerusalem as its capital, and demanded respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Arab League “Israel’s actions against the Palestinian people undermine efforts to achieve lasting peace,” Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said.

Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati said his country is going through an unprecedented historical and existential crisis that threatens its existence and future.

The crown prince argued that the situation had seriously deteriorated since the two organizations’ first joint summit a year ago. This created a ministerial committee that met with world leaders and officials to secure international support for an immediate ceasefire and restoration of basic services to Gaza. When this effort failed, a road map to achieve these goals was approved at the second summit.

Anna Jacobs, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank.
He told the AFP news agency that Monday’s summit was “an opportunity for regional leaders to signal to the incoming Trump administration what they want in terms of US involvement.” “The message will likely be dialogue, de-escalation and a call for Israeli military operations in the region.”

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Writing in the semi-official Arab News, prominent Emirati commentator Khalaf Habtoor said: “In a Middle East where security is paramount, (Donald) Trump’s focus on strengthening alliances and reining in extremist forces offers a way forward.”

The summit coincided with the 30-day deadline given in an Oct. 13 letter by the Biden administration demanding that Israel increase humanitarian aid to Gaza to 350 trucks per day, take a daily break from fighting for aid deliveries, and allow the movement of Palestinians sheltering on the coast. We must move inland before winter and end the forced evacuation from northern Gaza. Washington warned that if Israel could not meet these demands, its possible arms supply would be interrupted.

Israel has so far failed to deliver. Washington’s influence in the region is seen by Arabs and Muslims in general to have diminished during the Biden administration due to its support for Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon.

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Meanwhile, there is evidence of progress in relations between the former regional rivals. Saudi Arabia And IranianSaudi Chief of General Staff Fayyad Al-Ruwaili met with Iranian Major General Mohammed Bagheri in Tehran to discuss cooperation to strengthen military and defense relations and promote regional stability, according to statements made by the Saudi and Iranian defense ministries. In March 2023, after a seven-year break in relations, China mediated a compromise between regional heavyweights.