At Monday's Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivered a pointed critique of Israel's actions, reaffirming his nation's opposition to the military campaign in Gaza.
"The Kingdom stands firmly against any diminishment of the Palestinian Authority's role and violations of Lebanese sovereignty," bin Salman declared, adding that Saudi Arabia "categorically rejects any interference with humanitarian operations in Gaza." He emphasized the Palestinian Authority's qualifications for full UN membership and notably expressed opposition to attacks on Iranian territory.
The gathering drew an unprecedented assembly of regional leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Jordan's King Abdullah. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas were among the approximately 50 Arab and Islamic leaders present at the conference.
Convened to build upon previous diplomatic initiatives, the summit aimed to advance ceasefire efforts in Gaza and Lebanon while addressing the pressing need for expanded humanitarian aid delivery. The leaders also discussed recent developments in Israel's conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah.
Palestinian Authority President Abbas used the platform to advocate for his government's full UN membership bid. He called for Israel to "end the occupation within a year by the International Court of Justice decision" and urged the international community to reassess their diplomatic ties with Israel. Abbas pushed for the suspension of Israel's UN membership, citing violations of international law, and emphasized the necessity of implementing UN Security Council resolutions "to halt Israeli aggression in Gaza."
The summit reached its crescendo with Turkish President Erdogan's forceful address, calling for both an arms embargo against Israel and a halt to trade relations. His speech included sharp criticism of the Israeli parliament's recent decision to terminate UNRWA operations within Israeli territory.
