The closing statement of the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah: Welcoming Syria’s return to intensifying efforts to solve Arab critical issues

At the conclusion of the Jeddah summit in Saudi Arabia, the Arab League welcomed the resumption of Syria’s participation in League Council meetings, expressing its hope that this would contribute to supporting Syria’s stability and preserving its territorial integrity.

In the “Jeddah Declaration”, the Arab League condemned in the strongest terms the practices and violations that target the Palestinians with their lives, property and all their existence, and stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian cause, and finding a real horizon for achieving peace on the basis of the two-state solution in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions relevant principles of international law.

On Friday, the Arab summit held in the Saudi city of Jeddah adopted the Jeddah Declaration, which included, including the promotion of conditions suitable for the return of Syrian refugees, the preservation of the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, and the rejection of foreign interference and any illegal military presence in the Arab country.

The final declaration of the summit, with regard to the Palestinian cause, included condemnation of practices and violations that target Palestinians with their lives and property, stressing the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian cause, and demanding finding a real horizon for achieving peace in Palestine on the basis of the two-state solution.

And with regard to Syria, the declaration included an emphasis on welcoming the decision issued by the League Council meeting at the ministerial level, which included the resumption of the participation of Syrian government delegations in the meetings of the League Council and its affiliated organizations, stressing the importance of continuing and intensifying Arab efforts aimed at helping Syria overcome its crisis, and strengthening conditions for the occasion for the return of Syrian refugees, the preservation of the unity and integrity of the Syrian lands, and the rejection of foreign interference and any illegal military presence in Syria.

The Jeddah declaration stressed the need for calm in Sudan, giving priority to dialogue and preserving the national institutions of the state, and stressing the prevention of any external interference that fuels the conflict in Sudan and threatens security and regional peace.

It also considered the Jeddah meetings between the Sudanese parties an important step that can be built upon.

Regarding the Yemeni crisis, the Jeddah Declaration stressed support for international and regional efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis, and support for the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen to establish security and stability.

The Jeddah Declaration stressed the necessity of resolving the Libyan crisis within the Libyan framework and supporting the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections as a way out of it, as well as supporting efforts to unify the Libyan armed forces and establish a cease-fire.

With regard to Lebanon, the statement urged the Lebanese authorities to continue efforts to elect a president for the country and form a government as soon as possible, and to carry out economic reforms to get out of the suffocating crisis.

The Arab League expressed its solidarity with Lebanon, and urged all Lebanese parties to engage in dialogue to elect a president who satisfies the aspirations of the Lebanese, the regular work of the constitutional institutions, and the adoption of the required reforms to get Lebanon out of its crisis and invite the Lebanese parties to dialogue and elect a president for the republic.

The Jeddah declaration supported the efforts of the Somali government in its comprehensive war against terrorism.

The Jeddah declaration also welcomed the agreement reached between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran, mediated by China, which included the resumption of diplomatic relations, the reopening of diplomatic missions between Riyadh and Tehran, and the activation of the security and economic cooperation agreement between the two countries.

The declaration also condemned the incursion of Turkish forces into Iraqi territory, calling on the Turkish government to withdraw its forces without conditions.

With regard to combating terrorism, the declaration condemned all forms of criminal operations launched by terrorist organizations in Arab countries and the world, and called on Arab countries that have not ratified the “Arab Convention on Combating Terrorism” to ratify it.

Arab leaders and heads of delegations participating in the summit took a group photo before the start of the opening session.

In turn, the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, received the Arab leaders and heads of delegations participating in the Arab Summit in Jeddah at its headquarters.

It was notable that bin Salman received Syrian President Bashar al Assad, in preparation for the launch of the opening session.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz welcomed Arab leaders at the start of the Arab summit in Jeddah on Friday, the return of Syrian President Bashar al Assad to attend the meetings of the Arab League after an absence of more than a decade.

“Today, we are pleased with President Bashar al Assad’s attendance at this summit, and the issuance of the Arab League’s decision regarding the resumption of the participation of Syrian government delegations in the meetings of the Council of the League of Arab States,” the Saudi crown prince said in his speech.

He added, “We hope that this will contribute to supporting the stability of Syria, the return of things to normal, and the resumption of its natural role in the Arab world, in a way that achieves the good for its people, and in a way that supports all of our aspirations towards a better future for our region”.

In his speech today, Friday, bin Salman said that the kingdom is ready to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.

He added, “We reaffirm the Kingdom’s position in support of everything that contributes to reducing the intensity of the crisis in Ukraine, the non-deterioration of the humanitarian situation, and the Kingdom’s willingness to continue mediation efforts between the Russian Federation and Ukraine”.

He added that he hoped that Syria’s return to the Arab League would lead to an end to its crisis.

For his part, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Aboul Gheit pointed out that “the Jeddah summit is an opportunity to restore Arab issues that were left to others a long time ago”.

In his speech, Aboul Gheit stressed that there is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed to address the crisis in Syria.

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged countries at the Arab League summit, Friday, to support his peace initiative to end the Russian war in his country.

Zelensky, who is making his first trip to the kingdom, said in a letter that delegations would receive the text of the 10-point peace plan and asked them to work with Ukraine directly without intermediaries.

The Ukrainian president affirmed, before the Arab summit, which he is attending as a guest of honor at the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, that “Ukraine will never submit to Russian ambitions,” and he also valued the Saudi mediation for the release of prisoners.

“We didn’t choose war and did not engage in any hostilities on the territory of other countries,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president continued by saying, “We are forced to continue fighting, and no one agrees to surrender his land”.

Zelensky stressed that what is happening in his country is a war, not just a conflict and declared that Kiev is working to end the naval blockade imposed by Russia on our ports.

Zelensky appreciated the Saudi mediation for the release of Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.

The King of Jordan Abdullah II said that Damascus’ return to the Arab League is a step that contributes to efforts to end its crisis.

This came during his speech at the Arab summit held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

King Abdullah II welcomed Syria’s return to the Arab League, saying that it’s an important step that we hope will contribute to efforts to end the crisis.

He explained that his country had repeatedly warned against the continuation of the Syrian crisis without a solution; Where the brotherly Syrian people paid dearly for it, and its effects were reflected on all of us.

The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi said, “Relying on our own capabilities to resolve important issues has become necessary”.

Sisi added, “Egypt is continuing its efforts to stabilize the calm in Gaza”.

He added, “If the Sudanese crisis is not resolved, it will have a negative impact on the region”.

Sisi indicated that Syria’s return to the Arab League is a step to activate the role of the League.

For his part, the representative of the African Union at the Arab summit said, “The solution in Sudan will not be military”.

“The adventure of violence in Sudan threatens the entire region with fragmentation,” he added.

For his part, Syrian President Bashar al Assad said that the Arabs are facing a historic opportunity to rearrange the Arab house with the least amount of foreign interference.

Assad added, “We have to search for the major headlines that threaten our future and produce our crises, so as not to drown and drown future generations in addressing the results, not the causes”.

Assad added, “There are many headlines that don’t contain words and aren’t enough for summits… They don’t begin with the crimes of the Arab outcast Zionist entity against the resistant Palestinian people, don’t end with the Ottoman threat, and don’t separate from the challenge of development as a top priority for our developing societies… Here comes the role of the Arab League to discuss various issues and address them as a condition… Developing its work system”.

The Syrian president continued his speech to the Arab Summit by saying “In the issues that concern us daily, we cannot treat diseases by treating symptoms, as all these issues belong to larger titles that weren’t dealt with in previous stages in order to prevent outside interference in Arab affairs”.

He stressed that joint Arab action needs common visions, strategies and goals.

Assad hoped that the summit would mark the beginning of a new phase of Arab action for solidarity among us to achieve peace in our region, development and prosperity instead of war and destruction, expressing his deep thanks to the heads of delegations who welcomed our presence at the summit and the return of Syria to the Arab League.

The Syrian President also thanked the Saudi King and Crown Prince for the great role played by Saudi Arabia and its intensive efforts to promote reconciliation in our region and for the success of this summit.

For his part, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people, rejecting the occupation’s violation of their land and sanctities.

He said, “We affirm our rejection of the continued occupation of our land and sanctities”.

Abbas called on the international community to work to provide protection for the Palestinian people and to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against them.

He added, “Israel has committed 51 massacres since the Nakba in 1948, and destroyed 530 Palestinian villages”.

He called for Arab support the implementation of the recent United Nations General Assembly resolution, and to present the written pleadings of the Arab countries before the International Court of Justice, to issue its advisory opinion, and its fatwa, on the legality, form, and eligibility of the system that Israel established on the land of Palestine.

He accused Israel of denying the signed agreements and UN resolutions and adhering to an alternative colonial Zionist project based on continued occupation, ethnic cleansing and apartheid.

He said, “This current and dangerous situation puts us in front of many responsibilities and due obligations, the most important of which is accelerating the pace to change this situation before it is too late, because Israel won’t enjoy security and peace without the Palestinian people achieving their freedom and independence”.

He added, “We’re confident that the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people will be at the core of the Arab summit’s concerns, in order to find a just and comprehensive solution that ends the Israeli occupation of our state”.

He stressed that such a solution must be based on the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, which we adhere to as a sure way to achieve peace in the region.

On December 31, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a decision to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the nature of the Israeli occupation and the legal consequences of the occupation of Palestinian lands.

The Hague-based International Court of Justice is the highest UN court dealing with disputes between states, and its rulings are binding but it has no enforcement power.

A majority of 87 countries voted in favor of the resolution submitted by Palestine, while Israel, the United States and 24 other members voted against the resolution, while 53 abstained.

The Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh al Ghazwani denounced that joint Arab action cannot be strengthened except through economic partnerships, calling for strengthening cooperation and economic integration between Arab countries.

The Mauritanian President announced that his country would host the “Arab Development Summit” next August, calling on all Arab countries to participate strongly in it.

He stressed the need to resolve differences between Arab countries to promote joint action, which can only be strengthened by economic partnerships, calling for strengthening cooperation and economic integration.

The The Mauritanian President also welcomed Damascus’ return to the Arab League, expressing his hope that “Syria will regain its pivotal role in promoting joint Arab action”.

He called for the need to work for an immediate cessation of fighting in Sudan and the search for peaceful solutions to end the crisis that this country is experiencing.

Also affirmed his country’s adherence to solutions that preserve sovereignty in Libya.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, al Ghazwani expressed his condemnation of the repeated Israeli aggressions, stressing his country’s position demanding the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the Arab initiative and the relevant international references.

For his part, the representative of Sudan at the Arab summit held in Saudi Arabia, on Friday, said, “If the rebel the Rapid Support forces deviated from peace, we will deviate from it, and if they lay down their arms, we will pardon them”.

During a speech before the Arab Summit in Jeddah, the representative of Sudan, Dafa Allah al Hajj Yusuf, said, “We affirm that if the rebel forces lay down their arms, we will pardon them… We aren’t warmongers, but they were imposed on us”.

He explained, “The head of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al Burhan, the circumstances in the country prevented him from participating in the summit, noting that al Burhan is among his forces and leading the battle of dignity against the rebellion.

Hajj Yusuf stressed that there is no room for questioning the Sudanese army’s ability to resolve and end the rebellion, and added, “We were able to quickly resolve the rebellion, but the RSF took the citizens as human shields”.

He stated that the Rapid Support Forces committed crimes against humanity against civilians, didn’t abide by any humanitarian truces, and attacked and assaulted the headquarters of diplomatic missions in Khartoum.

He went on to say, “We’re concerned that the international community has turned a blind eye to the violations of the rebel movement”.

He stressed that Sudan trusts the Arab League to stand with it and support it in the reconstruction of the country that was damaged by the war.

Since mid-April, Sudan has been witnessing violent clashes between the army led by Abdul Fattah al Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Muhammad Hamdan Daglo, which included the capital, Khartoum, and several cities in the north and west of the country, caused many deaths and injuries, and caused an acute humanitarian crisis.