Arab and Muslim leaders convene in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a summit focused on the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, providing an opportunity to convey their stance to the newly elected US President Donald Trump. The Saudi foreign ministry had previously announced the summit in late October during a meeting in Riyadh that involved a newly formed “international alliance” advocating for the establishment of a Palestinian state. This gathering follows a similar event held in Riyadh a year ago, where leaders from the Cairo-based Arab League and the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned the actions of Israeli forces in Gaza as “barbaric.”With Trump’s recent re-election as a significant backdrop, Anna Jacobs, a senior Gulf analyst at the International Crisis Group, noted that the summit presents a crucial moment for regional leaders to articulate their expectations regarding US involvement in the region. She emphasized that the leaders are likely to promote a message centered on dialogue, de-escalation, and a denunciation of Israeli military operations in the area. The conflict in Gaza escalated following Hamas’s unprecedented assault on southern Israel on October 7 of the previous year, which resulted in 1,206 fatalities, predominantly among civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
In response, Israel’s military campaign has led to over 43,600 deaths in Gaza, with the majority being civilians, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory, a source deemed reliable by the United Nations.Saudi Arabia, though not part of recent agreements, strengthened ties with the Gulf during Trump’s presidency and expanded business relations under Biden. The kingdom has paused a US-mediated deal to recognize Israel, insisting that diplomatic relations depend on establishing a Palestinian state. Scholar Umer Karim noted that Riyadh aims to demonstrate its reliability as an ally to the incoming Trump administration, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia is a key partner for advancing American interests in the region.The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League include both pro- and anti-Israel nations, and last year’s summit in Riyadh revealed divisions over strategies regarding Israel. Karim anticipates that the upcoming summit’s statement will strongly condemn Israel while calling for increased American diplomatic efforts.The November 2023 meeting featured Iran’s then-president Ebrahim Raisi, highlighting shifts in regional diplomacy since Trump’s last term. In March 2023, Iran and Saudi Arabia announced a rapprochement after years of estrangement, with ongoing high-level communications to address conflicts. Iranian state media reported that the Saudi armed forces’ chief of staff was set to visit Tehran for discussions.
