Asharq Al-Awsat spoke with Ambassador Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, amid meetings to prepare for the upcoming Arab Summit in Bahrain.
Zaki is confident the summit will make strong decisions on Palestine, despite ongoing debates on other issues.
He emphasized that the summit, held under unusual circumstances due to the Gaza conflict, aims to meet Arab public expectations without raising divisive topics to Arab leaders.
Preparatory meetings for the Arab Summit kicked off in the Bahraini capital of Manama last Saturday.
Officials first met to discuss an emergency plan to deal with the aftermath of the Israeli attacks on Palestine, then worked on joint Arab efforts in economics and social matters.
On Monday, representatives outlined political frameworks, gearing up for presentations to Arab foreign ministers on Tuesday, and leaders next Thursday.
The Palestinian cause is a central focus of Arab summits. Zaki stated that the Arab Summit in Bahrain would thoroughly address this issue, especially given the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.
He mentioned that the Arab League is closely monitoring developments in Gaza and political moves related to the conflict, including Israeli actions in the West Bank.
Zaki stressed that any progress in the Palestinian situation deserves Arab responses, which will be discussed at the summit to determine next steps.
He also highlighted the Arab League’s efforts to gain more recognition for Palestine internationally and prepare for a peace conference. All these topics are expected to be addressed and resolved at the Manama gathering.
During a meeting in Cairo last March, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares discussed the idea of holding an international peace conference.
Aboul Gheit stressed the importance of Arab-European cooperation to make this conference happen, aiming for a two-state solution and a political future for Palestinians.
On his part, Zaki reiterated that the Palestinian issue remains a top priority for the Arab world and the Arab League. Therefore, it will be a key topic at the upcoming Summit, especially given the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
“The Summit will express strong Arab support for Palestinian rights and call on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities toward them, which are crucial for all Palestinians,” Zaki told Asharq Al-Awsat.
In recent years, decisions regarding the Palestinian issue have been prominent in the final statements of Arab summits. Since the Gaza war began, the Arab League has held multiple meetings at different levels.
Last November, Saudi Arabia hosted an Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, where ministers from several countries were tasked with starting international efforts to stop the war in Gaza and push for a serious peace process.
Regarding other topics on the agenda for the upcoming Arab Summit, Zaki mentioned that it will discuss various issues agreed upon throughout the year.
He explained that since the Jeddah Summit last year, political matters reflecting the crises in the Arab world have been discussed, and that it’s natural for these to be discussed at the Arab leaders’ summit.
