On 21 February 2025, Egypt's president, the king of Jordan, Saudi Arabia's king, United Arab Emirates' president, Qatar's emir, Kuwait's emir, and Bahrain's king gathered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, to discuss the Palestinian matter and fresh progress in the Gaza Strip (Menafn.com).
Background
The summit was convened due to increased tensions in the Middle East, particularly concerning the Gaza issue. There has been much conflict in the region with recurrent fighting and humanitarian concerns being experienced by the Palestinians.
Key Discussion Issues
At the summit, leaders discussed a couple of key issues:
- Alternatives to U.S. Schemes: The leaders discussed developing an alternative to U.S. President Donald Trump's plan, which may involve the depopulation and occupation of Gaza. Egypt has acted first in a three-phase strategy involving rebuilding and recovery without the displacement of the population. The cost of rebuilding is estimated at $53 billion, with financing to be sought from Gulf countries. There is also consensus to exclude Hamas from the Gaza government and revive the authority of the Palestinian Authority. A joint plan is due to be presented at a Cairo summit in March (El Pais).
- Humanitarian Issues: The presidents expressed strong concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for immediate assistance to mitigate the suffering of civilians. Discussions included the establishment of safe zones for temporary stay upon infrastructure reconstruction and the provision of basic services (AP News).
- Regional Stability: Regional stability was a theme that was consistent throughout, with the leaders acknowledging the interconnectedness of the Palestinian issue with other Middle Eastern problems. The summit underscored the worth of a unified Arab stance in addressing regional challenges.
Recent Developments
During the pre-summit weeks, several significant developments occurred:
- Hostage Exchange: Hamas traded six Israeli hostages in a ceasefire agreement, with Israel to free over 600 Palestinian inmates in return. The exchange was conducted with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (The Guardian).
- Israeli Accusations: Israel accused Hamas of murdering two children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, whose bodies were returned as part of a ceasefire arrangement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the act as a ceasefire violation (The Guardian).
Implications for Regional Diplomacy
The Riyadh summit highlights the initiative of Arab states in solving the Palestinian issue and the Gaza crisis. Through suggesting alternative proposals and highlighting humanitarian aspects, these countries aim to use their influence in regional diplomacy and respond to outside suggestions that do not benefit them.
Conclusion
Riyadh summit represents a crucial stepping stone in combined efforts of the Arab states intended to settle the Palestinian problem and the Gaza one. The conference agenda and adopted decisions will create a lasting political impact on regional future and Palestine-Israeli interrelations.
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