The Israeli war on Gaza and Syria’s future dominated the agenda of the 34th regular session of the Arab League Summit that opened Saturday in Baghdad, as Iraq hosted its first summit since 2012.
Leaders and top officials from 22 Arab states are meeting at the Republican Palace inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. The summit, only the fourth ever held in Iraq since 1978, signals Baghdad’s return to a central role in Arab diplomacy.
This year’s gathering is the first ordinary summit following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and his replacement by Ahmad al-Sharaa. It also comes days after the United States, from Riyadh, announced plans to lift sanctions on Damascus.
– Gaza dominates summit amid genocide
The summit’s most urgent issue is Gaza, where nearly 20 months of siege and bombardment by Israel have caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel has waged a relentless military offensive on the enclave since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 53,000 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Separately, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the strip.
– Other regional flashpoints
Alongside Gaza, the summit will address major unresolved conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia, as well as Lebanon’s fragile stability. The evolving nuclear talks between Iran and the US are also expected to be discussed.
The meeting comes as Syria, now under new leadership, seeks a full return to the Arab fold.
– Agenda highlights and outcomes
The summit’s agenda includes eight priority areas tied to Arab national security. These range from the Gaza war and counter-terrorism efforts to disputes over the Ethiopian dam, the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and the Iranian presence on Emirati islands.
Participants will also review developments in Jerusalem, prisoner and refugee concerns, funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), and Palestinian reconstruction.
Climate change — considered among the biggest threats to humanity, according to multiple scientific studies — will also be on the table.
The summit will close with the Baghdad Declaration, which is expected to present a unified Arab stance on the region’s most pressing issues.
Plans for the location of the next summit and nominations to regional and international bodies are also on the agenda.