ANKARA

The 34th Arab League Summit began on Saturday in Baghdad, with Israel’s war on Gaza dominating the talks besides other regional issues. It is Iraq's fourth summit and first since 2012.

The summit began with a speech by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, as Manama held the presidency of the 33rd Arab League Summit.

Zayani emphasized Bahrain’s commitment to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and to upholding ceasefire agreements.

Speaking at the opening session, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid condemned “the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza.”

"We reaffirm our firm stance rejecting all attempts to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip under any pretext or circumstances," the president said.

Rashid also emphasized the importance of collective security across the Arab world, saying: “Our shared Arab security cannot be fragmented,” and called on Arab countries to work together to safeguard it.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the Arab Summit to adopt an Arab plan to end the war on Gaza, where Israel has so killed more than 53,000 people since October 2023.

He urged the convening of an international conference in Cairo to fund and implement the reconstruction of the enclave now rendered uninhabitable.

He also expressed readiness to hold presidential and legislative elections in the coming year, once appropriate conditions are met in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on US counterpart Donald Trump to “apply pressure to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.”

He emphasized that even if Israel succeeds in securing normalization agreements, stability in the region will remain out of reach without a comprehensive peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said “Palestine is bleeding before our eyes,” stressing that the international community cannot ignore or turn a blind eye to what is happening in the Gaza Strip.

He said Spain and Palestine are jointly working on a new initiative at the UN to demand that Israel lift its blockade on Gaza.

He proposed focusing efforts on four key priorities: “Immediately ending the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, increasing pressure on the occupation to halt the massacre, advancing a political solution toward peace, and strengthening European-Arab-Islamic dialogue to address regional issues.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani proposed the establishment of an Arab fund to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of crises, conflicts, and wars.

“Iraq is contributing $20 million for the reconstruction of Gaza, and another $20 million for the reconstruction of brotherly Lebanon,” he said.

Regarding Syria, Sudani reaffirmed Iraq’s “firm and supportive” stance on preserving the country's unity and sovereignty.

“We will spare no effort in supporting our Syrian brothers to establish a state built on citizenship and a democratic constitutional system through a comprehensive political transition that ensures the rights of all Syrians,” he added.

Sudani also welcomed the recent US decision to lift sanctions on Syria expressing hope that this move would alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.

Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria. He also met Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia.

Other prominent leaders attending the summit are the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Jordanian Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan is attending on behalf of King Abdullah, while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is representing President Joseph Aoun.

Also present at the summit are UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and representatives from several international and regional organizations.

Arab foreign ministers approved on Thursday the summit’s agenda, which includes five key issues and five initiatives with the Palestinian cause topping the list.

The summit is also expected to tackle conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Libya, and the ongoing negotiations over nuclear deal between Iran and the US.