At a recent Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) made a powerful statement demanding that Israel immediately cease its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. MBS condemned Israel’s actions, describing them as a “massacre” against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, and urged global recognition of Palestinian statehood.
During his address at the summit, which brought together leaders from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), MBS stressed that Israel’s continued aggression undermines peace efforts in the region. “The actions taken by Israel are inhumane and will only perpetuate violence,” he stated.
The summit, which included leaders like Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, also saw the participation of Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Mikati called the situation in Lebanon an “unprecedented” crisis as Israel’s actions target Hezbollah and Lebanon’s sovereignty.
The joint closing statement of the summit condemned Israel for what it referred to as the “crime of genocide” in Gaza. The leaders denounced Israeli actions in the northern Gaza Strip, calling them acts of torture, ethnic cleansing, and executions. They reaffirmed the full sovereignty of Palestine over East Jerusalem, rejecting Israel’s attempts to consolidate its occupation of the region.
Iran’s Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref echoed MBS’s condemnation, calling Israel’s targeted killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders “organized terrorism.” The summit’s final statement also highlighted the importance of unifying the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem under a Palestinian state.
As the summit came to a close, the assembled leaders made it clear that regional instability requires international attention, emphasizing dialogue, de-escalation, and condemning Israeli military campaigns.
While the leaders called for action, including measures to address Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, the summit’s outcome underscored the deep divisions among OIC and Arab League members regarding Israel’s integration in the region.
The ongoing violence in Gaza, which has claimed over 43,600 Palestinian lives since Israel’s counteroffensive began in response to the Hamas attacks in October 2023, remains a focal point of international debate and condemnation.
