United Nations, Arab League Agree to Activate Cooperation

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit (L) meets with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Cairo on February 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit (L) meets with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Cairo on February 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED
TT

United Nations, Arab League Agree to Activate Cooperation

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit (L) meets with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Cairo on February 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit (L) meets with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Cairo on February 16, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMED EL-SHAHED

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and UN chief Antonio Guterres have agreed to activate the cooperation agreement signed between the two organizations last year.

Aboul Gheit met Guterres at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Cairo-based organization’s spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said.

Afifi added that the agreement comes in the framework of seeking to strengthen UN-Arab League cooperation in several areas, such as preventing and settling disputes, combating terrorism, preserving, building and making peace, protection of human rights and assisting refugees and those displaced.

The officials also discussed developments in a number of important international and regional issues, especially those related to the Palestinian issue and the crises in Syria, Libya, Yemen and the situation in Iraq.

Aboul Gheit and Guterres agreed that the coming period demands more efforts to be exerted by the international community in order to pressure Israel to respect resolutions issued under international legitimacy and return to the negotiating table with the Palestinians.

International efforts need to be exerted to push for a political settlements for crises in Syria, Libya and Yemen, especially in light of the rising phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, and the effects and implications of humanitarian cases worldwide.

Aboul Gheit stressed that the Arab League seeks to re-engage strongly in dealing with the crises experienced by some Arab countries, while welcoming the positive role that the United Nations can play in dealing with them.



Netanyahu: Cabinet Won't Meet Over Ceasefire Until Hamas Drops New Demands

People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
TT

Netanyahu: Cabinet Won't Meet Over Ceasefire Until Hamas Drops New Demands

People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down from what it called a “last minute crisis.”
Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt “to extort last minute concessions.” It did not elaborate.
The Israeli Cabinet was set to ratify the deal Thursday.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 48 people over the past day. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the 48 bodies of people killed since midday Wednesday were brought to several hospitals.