Baghdad hosts 34th Arab League Summit amid Gaza war, regional tensions
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The summit will be held amid the ongoing and escalating Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the worsening humanitarian crisis.
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This handout picture released by the media office of Iraq's prime minister shows Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (L) arriving in Baghdad ahead of the 34th Arab League summit on May 16, 2025 (IRAQI PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS OFFICE/AFP)
Baghdad is set to host the 34th Arab League Summit today, Saturday, amid the ongoing and escalating Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the worsening humanitarian crisis and following a Gulf tour by US President Donald Trump, who reaffirmed his desire to “take control” of the territory.
The summit is taking place amid significant regional changes, with the participation of Arab leaders, as well as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country recognized the State of Palestine last year and who is considered one of “Israel’s” strongest critics in Europe.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Baghdad on Friday afternoon, while a diplomatic source reported that most Gulf countries will be represented at the ministerial level.
Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon top the agenda
Ihsan al-Shammari, a professor of strategic studies at the University of Baghdad, said the summit will discuss "a comprehensive initiative to stop the war in Gaza, reconstruction, and humanitarian aid," in addition to "supporting the transitional phase in Syria and the new government in Lebanon."
The summit follows an emergency meeting held in Cairo last March, which adopted a plan for Gaza’s reconstruction and the return of the Palestinian Authority to the territory, as an alternative to Trump’s plan that calls for the forced displacement of residents and placing the Strip under US control.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated that the Baghdad summit “will uphold” the decisions of the Cairo summit, emphasizing that the Palestinian cause tops the agenda.
Summit of 'unique nature'
Al-Shammari noted the “unique nature of the summit given Israel’s rhetoric about a new Middle East that includes a large portion of Arab countries,” following the Israeli occupation’s May 5 announcement of a plan to “occupy” Gaza, which includes the forced internal displacement of its population.
During his Gulf tour, Trump said from Doha, “I would be proud if the United States owned Gaza and turned it into a zone of freedom.”
The summit is also being held at a time when Syria’s new authorities are working to consolidate power and forge new internal and external relationships. Trump met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria’s transitional president, in Riyadh after announcing the suspension of sanctions imposed on Syria under the previous regime.
The White House stated that Trump presented al-Shara with a series of demands, most notably joining the normalization agreements with “Israel”. Syria's interim president will not participate in the summit due to political objections within Iraq, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani will lead the Syrian delegation instead.
US-Iran talks, regional impact
The Arab meeting is also taking place as Iran engages in critical talks with the United States and European countries over its nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. Trump said this week that an agreement with Tehran on its nuclear program is close.
Al-Shammari stated that Arab leaders “will discuss in their closed sessions the potential outcomes of these talks and their impact,” both if a settlement is reached or not, thus leading to a possible clash.
