Arab League summit urges immediate halt to Israeli attacks, as Spain pushes for UN resolution and Guterres demands humanitarian access.
The 34th Arab League Summit opened in Baghdad on Saturday amid growing regional turmoil and urgent calls to end the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
The summit, held under the theme “Dialogue, Solidarity, and Development”, convenes as the situation in Gaza reaches what Iraq’s Prime Minister described as an “unprecedented stage of genocide,” with continued Israeli bombardment, mass displacement, and a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.
Attending the summit are several Arab heads of state and senior officials, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and UN Secretary-General António Guterres were also present, underscoring the international dimension of the crisis.
34th League of Arab States Summit
Speech by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres [Arabic]
Baghdad, Iraq
17 May 2025 pic.twitter.com/tUsDmtiuUc— UNAMI (@UNIraq) May 17, 2025
Focus on Gaza
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who assumed the rotating presidency of the Arab Summit, used his opening remarks to denounce the Israeli campaign in Gaza, calling for serious and united Arab action to halt the genocide and open humanitarian corridors.
“The war in Gaza has reached a horrifying and unprecedented stage,” al-Sudani said, adding that Arab countries must act collectively to stop the bloodshed and ensure the delivery of aid.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi echoed these concerns, stating that Palestinians are being subjected to systematic efforts aimed at erasing their presence in Gaza.
He called on US President Donald Trump to intervene and push for a ceasefire, and announced that Egypt is preparing an international conference to coordinate the reconstruction of Gaza once hostilities end.
Sisi also commented on the broader implications of the Gaza crisis, urging fellow leaders to resist regional destabilization and to work together toward solutions in Libya and Sudan.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit: Palestine remains the Arabs’ central cause.#Iraq #Palestine #Arab_Summit #Gaza pic.twitter.com/4AmYfhFg8I
— Alahad TV-EN (@ahad_en) May 17, 2025
Abbas Calls for Disarmament in Gaza
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a controversial address in which he claimed that Israel’s objective is to eliminate any possibility of a two-state solution through mass killings and displacement in Gaza.
He repeated his long-standing call for an international conference in Cairo to fund and implement Gaza’s reconstruction.
Abbas also called on Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza and for all armed factions to disarm and hand over authority to the Palestinian Authority — a position that drew mixed responses from regional observers.
Representatives gather on Saturday for a photo ahead of the 34th Arab League summit in Baghdad pic.twitter.com/fNJ0RlEIp2
— The New Region (@thenewregion) May 17, 2025
Regional Positions and Divisions
Jordanian Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan expressed his country’s deep concern over the genocidal war on Gaza, demanding a halt to the violence and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid.
Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf warned that the Palestinian cause is being “liquidated,” accusing the occupation of imposing an absurd and one-sided vision of peace.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita emphasized the urgent need to ensure the delivery of aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam used his speech to denounce Israel’s policy of killing and forced displacement, not only in Gaza but also in southern Lebanon. He called for the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 and urged international pressure on Israel to withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territories.
Sudanese Sovereignty Council member Ibrahim Jaber addressed the internal war in his country, calling for a ceasefire conditioned on the withdrawal of the Rapid Support Forces and a national dialogue to set the stage for democratic elections.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrives in Baghdad as a guest of the Arab League summit taking place on Saturday.
📸: Iraqi government pic.twitter.com/qKeSL7aOJc
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) May 16, 2025
Spain and the UN Call for Global Action
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez gave one of the summit’s most direct international statements.
He noted that more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza and announced that Spain is preparing to submit a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly demanding that Israel end its attacks and allow the entry of humanitarian aid.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also addressed the summit, reiterating his call for an immediate ceasefire and opposing the forced displacement of Gaza’s residents.
Guterres stressed that the blockade and ongoing attacks have pushed Gaza to the brink and that international action is needed to prevent further catastrophe.
According to Al-Jazeera, Iraqi sources confirmed that the summit will conclude with the adoption of the Baghdad Declaration. The document is expected to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the opening of all crossings for aid, and a unified Arab stance emphasizing the centrality of the Palestinian cause.
(PC, AJA)
There has to be More than words and hopeful but empty declarations…It is time for as many Muslim Nations as possible to mobilize for Total War! israel has to be presented with a real existential threat! Mobilization does not mean war, but israel need not know that. The usa must be confronted with a crisis that looks as if the World is about to explode. If nuclear-armed Pakistan will join the mobilization, the usa and israel will see that their nuclear weapons would not lead to their desired results. Muslim Nations’ mobilization for Total War will frighten the usa right-wing into restraining israel. But the mobilization by Muslim Nations must be rapid and total.
I agree with you, christopher. Seems to me that means Total War between: Iran, China, Russia (allies) vs. US, NATO, EU (axis). I stand with the allies!
You mention this axis’ alliance of countries but if it comes to any direct confrontation with this “Israel” you can leave this present Russian Federation in its’ box. They will not endanger in any way the security of this apartheid abomination.
“united Arab action” — right off, nothing will change unless the US does “something”. The Arab League is identical with NATO: bold decisions! But, wait for the US. The US “something” worries me.