Arab summit urges end of Gaza bloodshed, funds to rebuild enclave

CAIRO – 17 May 2025: Arab leaders and top officials met in Baghdad on Saturday for the 34th Arab League summit, urging pressure by the international community on Israel to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and allow urgent and unimpeded aid deliveries across the enclave.

The Baghdad Declaration reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause as the core issue of the Arab nation and the backbone of stability in the region.

The leaders expressed their unwavering support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to freedom, self-determination, and the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state, as well as the right of return and compensation for Palestinian refugees and expatriates.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said, on Saturday that even if Israel succeeds in normalizing relations with all Arab states, a lasting, just, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will remain unattainable without the establishment of a Palestinian state in accordance with… pic.twitter.com/NLtlxtbRfe

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 17, 2025

The Arab leaders condemned all illegal actions and practices carried out by Israel, as the occupying power, which target the Palestinian people and prevent them from obtaining their basic rights to freedom, life, and human dignity, as enshrined in divine laws and international statutes.

They called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza and an end to all acts of aggression that exacerbate the suffering of innocent civilians.

Funding Gaza Reconstruction

The Arab leaders called for political, financial, and legal support for the joint Arab-Islamic plan regarding recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, which was adopted at the extraordinary Arab summit and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in March.

They urged countries and international and regional funding institutions to expedite the necessary financial support for implementing this plan.

The declaration welcomed proposals and initiatives from Arab states to establish a fund for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Unimpeded Aid

The leaders emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts to pressure for the opening of all crossings to deliver humanitarian aid to all Palestinian territories, enabling United Nations agencies, particularly UNRWA, to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

They called for the necessary international support for UNRWA to fulfill its duties.

Supporting Orphans

The leaders welcomed the formation of an open-ended working group in collaboration with the United Nations to follow up on the creation of a special fund to support orphans in Gaza, estimated to number around 40,000 children, as well as to provide assistance and prosthetic limbs for thousands of injured individuals, especially children.

Rejecting Palestinian Displacement

The declaration reaffirmed steadfast Arab position in rejecting any form of displacement or forced relocation of the Palestinian people from their land, under any name, circumstance, or justification.

The leaders warned that such move would constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and humanitarian law, and represents a crime against humanity amounting to ethnic cleansing.

The declaration strongly condemned the policies of starvation and the scorched earth tactics employed by the occupying authorities to pressure the Palestinian people to leave their land.

Irreversible Steps to 2-State Solution

In the same vein, the Arab leaders reiterated their commitment to a just and comprehensive peaceful settlement of the Palestinian cause.

They expressed their support for the call made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to convene an international peace conference and take irreversible steps to implement the two-state solution in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions.

They affirmed that the desired solution must ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the acceptance of its full membership in the United Nations.

Deploying Peacekeepers

The declaration called for the deployment of international protective and peacekeeping forces under the auspices of the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territories until the two-state solution is implemented.

The leaders urged the United Nations Security Council to take clear actions to implement this solution within its responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security, with a necessary binding timeline for this political process.

They called on all Palestinian factions to agree on a comprehensive national project and a unified strategic vision that consolidates national efforts to achieve the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

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Israeli forces have ramped up strikes on Gaza, killing more than 250 people, many of them women and children, bringing the total fatalities since the start of the war 19 months ago to over 53,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials#Egypt…

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 16, 2025

Solidarity Amid Regional Crises

Besides Palestine, the leaders affirmed their support to Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan and Libya amid the crises these countries are still experiencing.

Syria: The leaders emphasized the importance of advancing a comprehensive transitional political process in Syria that preserves diversity and social peace, ensuring respect for the beliefs and sacred sites of all components of the Syrian people.

Lebanon: The leaders reiterated their ongoing support for Lebanon in facing challenges, maintaining its security, stability, and territorial integrity, and protecting its internationally recognized borders from any violations.

Libya: The leaders reaffirmed their full support for Libya, emphasizing the importance of resolving the crisis through national dialogue to preserve state unity and achieve the aspirations of the Libyan people for lasting stability, while rejecting all forms of intervention in Libyan internal affairs.

Somalia: They condemned all terrorist activities targeting the security and stability of Somalia, including the assassination attempt on President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud in March.

UAE: The Arab leaders reiterated their absolute support for the United Arab Emirates' sovereignty over its three islands: Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, currently occupied by Iran. They called on Iran to respond to the UAE’s initiative for a peaceful resolution to this issue.