Gulf Summit in Doha Today Amidst Tragedy Surge in Gaza

Gulf Summit in Doha Today Amidst Tragedy Surge in Gaza
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Gulf Summit in Doha Today Amidst Tragedy Surge in Gaza

Gulf Summit in Doha Today Amidst Tragedy Surge in Gaza

Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will gather in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday December 5 for the GCC’s 44th Supreme Council Summit.

Gulf leaders will deliberate on a range of issues, with a primary focus on enhancing political, security, and economic coordination among member states of the GCC.

The summit’s proceedings are heavily overshadowed by the ongoing tragic events in Gaza.

Gulf nations, condemning the Israeli war on civilian populations in Gaza, are actively pursuing efforts to halt the conflict and initiate a political process that brings an end to the occupation, enabling the Palestinian people to establish their independent state.

Since the commencement of the Israeli military operations in Gaza on Oct. 7, the toll has been devastating, resulting in the deaths of 15,523 individuals, predominantly children and women, with another 41,316 individuals sustaining injuries and thousands reported missing.

These alarming statistics are according to the latest data released by health authorities in Gaza.

On the eve of the GCC’s 44th Supreme Council Summit, Qatar announced progress in mediating efforts between Israel and Hamas, aiming to secure a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.

Participating in the Tuesday Summit is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Ambassador of Turkiye to Qatar Mustafa Goksu stated in media remarks that Erdoğan will engage in the GCC leaders’ summit during his visit to Qatar, and will also participate in the ninth session of the High Strategic Committee between Turkiye and Qatar.

Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday discussed the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza.

“During the meeting, the latest developments in Israel’s Gaza massacre, efforts for a cease-fire and permanent peace, and steps taken and to be taken to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza were discussed,” said a statement from Turkiye’s Communications Directorate.

In other news, a Turkish diplomatic source cited by the Russian news agency Sputnik confirmed that the conflict resolution communication group for Gaza is set to engage in negotiations with the US administration this week.

Although the source expected negotiations by the communication group to take place in the US this week, they declined to comment on the expectations from the talks.

This development follows the formation of a communication group on Gaza by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Indonesia, Nigeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Qatar.

The group was established after the joint summit between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League in Riyadh on Nov. 11. The group has conducted negotiations in Beijing, Moscow, London, and Paris.



Arab League Meeting to Discuss Iran Attacks, Regional Escalation on Sunday

Arab foreign ministers are seen at a previous Arab League meeting. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Arab foreign ministers are seen at a previous Arab League meeting. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arab League Meeting to Discuss Iran Attacks, Regional Escalation on Sunday

Arab foreign ministers are seen at a previous Arab League meeting. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Arab foreign ministers are seen at a previous Arab League meeting. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Bahrain will chair on Sunday the 165th regular session of the Arab League on the level of foreign ministers amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

An Arab diplomatic source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting, held video-conference, will only focus on the Iranian attacks on Arab countries.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said the officials will discuss taking a unified Arab stance against the attacks.

Foreign ministers of Gulf, Arab and regional countries met in Riyadh last week to condemn Iran’s flagrant violation of principles of good neighborliness and of the sovereignty of nations, saying it will have grave repercussions against it and the security of the Middle East.

“Iran's attacks will cost it highly and impact relations with the countries and peoples of the region that will not stand idly by as they are threatened,” they warned.

“The attacks cannot be justified under any excuse,” they stressed, saying they were a violation of sovereignty of nations and international law.

They held Iran “fully responsible for the losses”, saying the countries reserve the right to defend themselves.

The Arab diplomat said Sunday’s meeting was already scheduled before the eruption of the conflict and was supposed to include on its agenda articles related to joint Arab work, but discussions over them will be postponed to solely focus on the Iranian attacks.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a series of telephone calls from his counterparts from Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq to prepare for the summit.

A Foreign Ministry statement underlined “the importance of issuing a unified Arab stance against the common security and political challenges and the dangerous escalation in the region.”

Political analyst Dr. Abdel Moneim Saeed told Asharq Al-Awsat the ministerial meeting aims to reach a unified Arab stance on how to handle the current situation.

The situation is rapidly changing amid the erratic American stances, he remarked. “It is important to hold Arab consultations to come up with a united stand towards the situation.”


UK, Pakistan Condemn Iranian Attacks on Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
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UK, Pakistan Condemn Iranian Attacks on Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received on Tuesday separate telephone calls from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Pakistani PM Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who underlined their condemnation of Iran’s continued attacks against the Kingdom.

They warned that the attacks are a threat to security and stability.

The leaders reviewed regional security developments amid the current military escalation, discussing its impact on regional and global peace and its risks to international maritime security and the global economy.


Saudi Arabia Denies it Favors Prolonging the War

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 15, 2024. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Denies it Favors Prolonging the War

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 15, 2024. (Reuters)

A senior official at the Saudi Foreign Ministry stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom had previously denied claims that its leadership favors the prolongation of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The official said that Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah had declared during a press conference following the meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh last week that Iran must cease its attacks.

He added that the Kingdom’s patience “has limits” and that it reserves the right to repel the aggression through political and other means.

Iran continued to target Gulf countries with rockets and drones in the fourth week of the war as the United Nations Rights Council prepares to meet on Wednesday to discuss the attacks.

Saudi defenses intercepted and downed a ballistic missile and 28 drones fired at the Eastern Region, announced Defense Ministry spokesman Turki al-Malki. 

On Tuesday, Saudi defenses downed 44 drones in the Eastern Region, Bahrain downed six ballistic missiles and 19 drones, and the UAE destroyed five missiles and 17 drones. Kuwait also repelled several attacks.

The UAE defense ministry said that a Moroccan contractor with the Emirati military was killed in Bahrain in an Iranian attack, with Manama saying the man had been assisting the local armed forces.