TUNIS: Arab leaders opened their annual summit in the Tunisian capital,Tunis, on Sunday.
Addressing the opening session, Saudi King Salman said his country rejectsa U.S. decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied SyrianGolan Heights.
“We reaffirm our unequivocal rejection of infringing the Syrian sovereigntyover Golan Heights,” he said.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamationofficially recognizing the area, which was occupied by Israel during the1967 Middle East war, as an Israeli territory.
On the Syrian crisis, the Saudi monarch underlined the need to reach apolitical solution that “guarantees the sovereignty of Syria and theprevention of any foreign intervention, in accordance with internationalresolutions.”
As for the situation in the Palestinian territories, he said thePalestinian issue would remain a top priority for the kingdom “until thePalestinian people regain their legitimate rights”.
He also touched on the Yemeni crisis, reiterating Riyadh’s support for UNefforts aimed at reaching a political solution to the five-year conflict.
“We call on the international community to exert pressure on theIran-backed Houthi militias to stop their aggressive attacks that aggravatethe suffering of the Yemeni people,” he said.
“The aggressive policies of the Iranian regime are flagrant violations ofall international conventions and norms, and the international communityshould do more pressure to prevent Iranian support for terrorism in theworld,” he added.
– Biggest threat
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, for his part, said terrorism amountsto be “the biggest threat to security and development in the world.”
“It is unacceptable for the Arab region to continue to be hard-hit bytension and terrorism,” he said. “It is also unacceptable…to turn ourregion into scenes for regional and international conflicts.”
Essebsi affirmed that “Golan Heights is an occupied Arab land and this isrecognized by the international community”.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, for his part, reiterated hiscountry’s rejection of the U.S.’s decision on the Golan Heights.
In a speech, al-Sisi called for the launch of negotiations with a view toachieving an immediate settlement in Syria.
On the Palestinian issue, the Egyptian president stressed that “theArab-Israeli conflict has no way out except for a just and peacefulsolution that ensures that Palestinians get their independent state”.
Jordanian King Abdullah II, in turn, affirmed that “there will be nosecurity and stability without a just solution to the Palestinian issue”.
“The Palestinian issue was and will remain the first concern that occupiesthe Arab conscience,” he said, adding “there will be no security, stabilityand prosperity in the region without a just and lasting solution to thePalestinian cause”.
He went on to note that the solution should satisfy the aspirations of thePalestinian people to establish their independent state “on the lines ofJune 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital”.
As for the situation in Jerusalem, King Abdullah II confirmed that Jordanwould continue its historic role in “defending and protecting the Islamicand Christian holy places there”.
– Arab Summit
Only 13 Arab leaders are attending the one-day summit, including Qatar’semir Tamim bin Hamad and Egypt’s al-Sisi.
Other attending leaders include Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad of Kuwait and KingAbdullah II of Jordan as well as the leaders of Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine,Yemen, Mauritania and Djibouti.
Libya is also represented by the head of the country’s presidential councilFayez al-Sarraj.
Meanwhile, eight leaders are absent from the summit; most notably SudanesePresident Omar al-Bashir, Algeria’s Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Omani SultanQaboos bin Said and Moroccan King Mohammed VI.
War-torn Syria is not represented by any official at the summit as thecountry’s Arab League membership has been frozen since 2011.
The summit’s agenda is expected to tackle recent Israeli escalationsagainst the Hamas-run Gaza Strip; ongoing crises in Libya, Yemen and Sudan;alleged Iranian interference in Arab affairs; and the fight againstterrorism. (AA)