Arab League Summit 2023 in Riyadh Summary Report

During a summit in Riyadh, where Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time, Arab and Muslim leaders denounced Israeli "war crimes" in Gaza.

With Israel and Hamas fighting deep in Gaza, the extraordinary summit called on the UN Security Council to take a "decisive and binding decision" to impose a ceasefire.

In addition to Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, the colonial occupation government has committed war crimes as well as barbaric, brutal, and inhumane massacres against Palestinians, including in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. According to the final resolution, it must cease immediately.

Summit participants rejected the claim that this is a war of revenge and demanded humanitarian aid convoys be allowed to enter.

Israel, the occupying power, is responsible for the continuation and aggravation of the conflict as a result of its aggression against human rights, the resolution states.

Following surprise cross-border attacks by Hamas that left 1,200 people dead and hostages, Israel launched an offensive.

After diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored in March, this was the first visit by an Iranian leader to Saudi Arabia in 11 years.

Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia and heir to the Saudi throne, shook hands with Raisi.

Hezbollah, which has been engaged in daily crossfire with Israeli forces on Israel's northern border with Lebanon, is backed primarily by Iran. In addition, it maintains close ties with Hamas and supports Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been firing missiles at Israel.

Raisi noted that all attendees were there to "save the Palestinians" on behalf of the Islamic world.

"Today is a historic day in the heroic defense and support of Al-Aqsa Mosque," he said. "The Islamic world is focused on the Palestinian cause.

MBS said the Kingdom "categorically rejects" the war against Palestinians in his opening remarks.

"We are holding this summit under extraordinary and painful circumstances," he said.

Our brothers and sisters in Palestine are being subjected to a brutal war, and we renew our demand for an immediate halt to military operations.

Since it has the most influence over Israel, Mahmoud Abbas said the US bears responsibility for the absence of a political solution.

As a result of his participation at a regional meeting in May, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also attended the summit.

As part of his remarks, Assad criticized the normalization agreements between Arab countries and Israel. To help Palestine, we must use actual political tools, not rhetorical tools, and stop any political process with the Zionist entity, he said. "More hands extended equals more massacres against us... We must use actual political tools and not rhetorical tools to help Palestine."

A swipe at Saudi Arabia and Israel's normalization talks might have been intended by Assad, who is also accused of war crimes during his country's civil war.

When the Hamas-Israel war erupted, that dialogue, primarily brokered by the US, was at an advanced stage.

In Gaza, Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani criticized the international community for failing to "stop war crimes and massacres."

As Al Thani pointed out, "We wonder how long will the international community continue to treat Israel as if it is above international law, and how long will it be permitted to flout all international laws in its brutal, never-ending war against its indigenous population."

It has mediated indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel over the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, humanitarian aid into besieged Gaza, and a possible ceasefire.

Go here to learn more about the Arab League Member States and its history.