Trump’s shadow looms over summit in Riyadh devoted to Middle East crisis
Leaders of Arab and Muslim countries are participating in a summit in Saudi Arabia on Monday devoted to the situation in the Middle East. It brings together members of the Arab League, a pan-Arab organization bringing together 22 countries, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a pan-Islamic organization bringing together more than fifty Muslim states. Participants will discuss “continued Israeli aggression in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon” and regional developments, the official Saudi agency SPA said on Sunday.
The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhane, had called for this summit to be held at the end of October during a meeting in Riyadh on the creation of a new “international alliance” aimed at encouraging the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House could this time take center stage in the discussions, says Anna Jacobs of the International Crisis Group think tank. “This summit represents an important opportunity for regional leaders to show the incoming Trump administration what they expect from the United States. The message will likely focus on dialogue, de-escalation and denunciation of Israeli military campaigns in the region.
