Arab, Muslim Leaders Condemn Israeli Actions in Gaza, Lebanon at Riyadh Summit

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, has demanded an immediate end to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon at the opening of a joint summit of Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) leaders in Riyadh, Al Jazeera reports.

In a strong address, MBS condemned the “massacre committed against Palestinian and Lebanese people,” urging Israel to “refrain from any further act of aggression.” He also called on the international community to recognize Palestinian statehood.

The summit, attended by leaders from 57 OIC member states and 22 Arab League members, was convened in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Lebanon. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, echoed MBS’s condemnation, stating that “words cannot express the plight of the Palestinian people.”

The Saudi Press Agency described Israel’s actions as “aggression” that compelled Arab and Islamic leaders to take immediate action.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were among the prominent figures present at the summit. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was unable to attend due to pressing “executive matters,” but sent Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref as a representative.

While the summit condemned Israel’s actions, reaching consensus on concrete measures against the country proved challenging. Last year’s similar summit in Riyadh witnessed disagreement on proposals such as severing economic and diplomatic ties and disrupting Israel’s oil supplies.

This year’s meeting takes place against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s recent re-election, which is likely to be a key topic of discussion among leaders. Trump has been a staunch ally of Israel, and his re-election is seen as a potential obstacle to a negotiated peace settlement in the region.

The conflict in Gaza began in October 2023 with an unprecedented attack by Hamas, resulting in the deaths of over 1,100 Israelis. Since then, Israel’s military operations have claimed the lives of over 43,600 Palestinians in Gaza, with a significant number of civilians among the casualties. Israel has also targeted Hezbollah in Lebanon, causing over 3,100 deaths in the country over the past year.