Arab leaders convene in Bahrain for Gaza summit

On Thursday, Arab leaders are meeting in Bahrain for a summit centered on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, where no ceasefire has yet been reached.

The heads of state and government started arriving on Wednesday in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, where flags from the 22 Arab League member countries were displayed.

This marks the first assembly of the bloc since a special summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, last November. That summit also included leaders from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

During the Riyadh summit, leaders denounced the “barbaric” actions of Israeli forces in Gaza but stopped short of implementing economic and political sanctions against Israel, despite rising anger in the region and strong support for the Palestinian cause.

Kuwaiti analyst Zafer al-Ajmi suggests that this stance might shift as there is growing global support for a two-state solution, which Arab nations have long advocated.

Ajmi noted that Western public opinion has increasingly supported the Palestinian cause and sought to alleviate the longstanding injustices since the establishment of Israel over 70 years ago.

Meanwhile, Israel has not met its war objectives, including the dismantling of Hamas, and remains entrenched in a conflict that has lasted more than seven months, he added.

The conflict ignited following Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of over 1,170 people, predominantly civilians, based on an AFP count of Israeli official data.

Hamas militants also took about 250 hostages, with Israel estimating that 128 remain in Gaza, including 36 whom the military believes are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed at least 35,233 people, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas. An Israeli blockade has also caused severe food shortages and a looming famine threat.

– Shift in ‘Tone’ –

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that nearly 500,000 people had been evacuated from Rafah, a southern Gaza city. He remains intent on targeting remaining Hamas battalions in Rafah, despite opposition from US President Joe Biden.

Netanyahu also contested claims that Israeli operations in Rafah would lead to a “humanitarian catastrophe,” though much of the international community remains against an invasion of Rafah.

In this context, and with Qatar indicating that negotiations for a truce and hostage release are nearing a stalemate, Ajmi observed that “the tone of Arab countries has changed,” suggesting that the summit’s final declaration might include “binding” measures.

Such a statement would be particularly impactful coming from Bahrain, one of the two Gulf nations that normalized relations with Israel in 2020 through the US-brokered Abraham Accords, along with the United Arab Emirates.

In addition to the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Arab leaders are expected to address other regional issues, including conflicts in Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is expected to attend following Syria’s re-admission to the Arab League last year.

Discussions might also cover the attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Red Sea shipping, intended as a show of support for Palestinians, according to Bahraini analyst and journalist Mahmeed al-Mahmeed.

Bahrain has joined a US-led maritime coalition to counter these attacks.

“These crucial sea routes are significant not only for regional countries but also for the global economy,” Mahmeed said.