Arab League affirms priority of Palestinian issue

The Arab League affirmed on Tuesday its commitment to prioritizing the Palestinian conflict in all regional and global forums, viewing the Palestinian stance as a unified position representing the 22 Arab nations. This was emphasized by Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, during a meeting organized by the Arab Affairs Committee of the Egyptian Journalists' Syndicate under the theme "The Arab League and Regional Challenges: Future Visions and Scenarios." Zaki highlighted the troubling state of the Arab world, marked by ongoing conflicts, pointing out the current conflict in Gaza, describing it as a brutal occupational war. He warned of further escalations related to the Gaza conflict, noting the rising tensions between Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Israeli occupation, which risk heightening regional tensions. He emphasized that the Arab League remains a unifying force for all Arabs, providing a platform for political discussions that result in unified positions on curr ent issues. The Palestinian situation, he noted, is particularly tragic due to ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank. The Arab League's stance on Palestine, he asserted, is robust and serves as a foundation for international advocacy, influencing the positions of organizations like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations. He reiterated that the instability in the Arab region hampers the political and developmental prospects of both stable and semi-stable states. However, he acknowledged that there are still bright spots in the Arab world, with some countries making progress despite the prevailing challenges. Regarding Sudan, Zaki described the conflict as a tragic war between Sudanese factions and that the Arab League, along with other stakeholders, has attempted to mediate and defuse the crisis, which directly affects neighboring countries and has broader implications for the Horn of Africa and North Africa. He stressed the need for intensified efforts to resolve th e Sudanese crisis, noting that the Arab League hosted a significant meeting on June 12 to coordinate these efforts. Zaki expressed discontent over the exclusion of the Arab League from recent Geneva talks on Sudan, despite its active role in coordinating peace efforts. He communicated this dissatisfaction to the US, which organized the Geneva meeting, emphasizing that the Arab League is the region's primary organization and should not be sidelined. The ambassador also drew attention to the deteriorating situation in Libya, signaling the fragility of the current political process and underscoring the need for active engagement with key players to prevent further decline. Source: Kuwait News Agency