Amr Hamzawy
When Arab leaders gathered on Tuesday in Egypt for an extraordinary summit, the stakes could not have been higher for security and peace in the Middle East. Tensions have been rising again between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as both accuse the other of ceasefire violations. Israeli military operations continue in the southern regions in Syria, as well as sporadic bombardment of Hezbollah’s positions in southern Lebanon. In the United States, the administration of President Donald Trump’s talks of mass displacement plans for Palestinians have quieted but still have the region on edge.
The summit’s unity emphasized the collective political and diplomatic maturing among the Arab countries. The countries’ leaders came together and issued a remarkable pro-peace declaration that displayed solidarity with the Palestinian people while addressing most of Israel’s and the United States’ concerns.
The Leadup
The so-called Palestine Summit was held only a few days after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which Egypt, Qatar, and the United States brokered. Negotiations for the second phase have faced initial difficulties: the Israeli government stopped entry of all humanitarian aid and reconstruction equipment and materials into Gaza, and Hamas rejected a U.S. proposal to extend the first phase for the duration of Ramadan while continuing to release Israeli hostages and Palestinians prisoners.
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