Context:

Saudi Arabia hosted a summit of Arab and Islamic leaders to discuss the Palestinian question. The summit demanded an immediate end to Israel's military aggression against Gaza and Lebanon.

Gaza War

It is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. It started with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and has escalated with Israel's extensive airstrikes and ground offensives in Gaza.

It caused severe humanitarian crises, widespread infrastructure damage, and increased tensions across West Asia. It has displaced many people and resulted in significant losses of life.

Riyadh summit hosted by Saudi Arabia

The Riyadh summit aimed to address the Palestine issue, asking for an immediate end to Israel's military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

The summit called for the establishment of an independent sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

It highlighted the importance of resolving the Palestinian issue for regional peacemaking.

Significance of the Summit

In the past few years, Arab countries have indicated a willingness to improve relations with Israel, and ignoring the Palestine issue. This approach violated the spirit of the Arab Peace Initiative, which promised to recognize Israel in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

At the Riyadh summit, Arab leaders expressed collective outrage at Israel's actions and sent a clear message to both Israel and the United States that resolving the Palestine issue is critical to achieving long-term peace in West Asia.

Abraham Accords

The Abraham Accords was signed in 2020 between the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and Israel to normalize relations.
Unlike earlier normalization agreements with Egypt and Jordan, the Abraham Accords did not include Israeli compromises on the Palestinian issue. Palestinians were excluded from the agreements, and their concerns were not addressed.
After Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October 2023, Arab countries condemned Israel's military actions in Gaza but avoided directly challenging Israel.

The Gaza war has hindered the Arab-Israeli relation normalization process. The Arab countries, notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE have shifted their attention to the Palestine issue and making it a necessary condition for any future normalization with Israel.

Will Arab countries join the war against Israel?

It is highly unlikely that Arab countries will join the conflict against Israel. The last time an Arab country attacked Israel was in 1973, when Egypt and Syria launched a campaign to reclaim lost territories, not to protect Palestinians. Since then, Arab states have maintained peace with Israel, despite its military occupation of Palestinian territories.

Arab countries are not willing to engage in direct military conflict with Israel, they are focusing on diplomatic and strategic engagement to resolve the conflict.

Way Forward

Arab countries should put more diplomatic pressure on Israel and advocate for a peaceful resolution to end the conflict. They should work to bring Palestinian leaders together to present a united political front at international forums.

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Source:

The Hindu