Arab Leaders Gather in Baghdad as Gaza Crisis Looms Over 34th League Summit

The high-profile gathering has drawn participation from across the Arab world, with notable attendees including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has emerged as one of Israel’s most vocal European critics since Spain’s recognition of Palestine last year.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Baghdad Friday, while diplomatic sources indicated most Gulf states opted for ministerial-level representation rather than head-of-state attendance.

“The summit will address a comprehensive initiative to halt the Gaza war, reconstruction efforts, and humanitarian aid,” explained Ihsan al-Shammari, strategic studies professor at the University of Baghdad. “Supporting Syria’s transition and Lebanon’s new government are also key agenda items.”

Baghdad meeting follows March’s emergency Cairo summit, which established a Gaza reconstruction framework positioning the Palestinian Authority as an alternative to Trump’s controversial proposal for US control of the territory. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed the Baghdad summit “will uphold” these earlier decisions.

Al-Shammari highlighted the summit’s “unique nature” amid Israel’s May 5 announcement of plans to “occupy” Gaza and forcibly displace its population internally. During his recent Gulf tour, Trump declared from Doha, “I would be proud if the United States owned Gaza and turned it into a zone of freedom.”

Syria’s transitional leadership will be represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani rather than interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose potential attendance faced political objections within Iraq.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam arrived in Baghdad yesterday, Friday, at the head of an official delegation to participate in the Arab Summit. He was accompanied on his visit by Foreign Minister Youssef Raji and Economy Minister Amer Basat.

The Lebanese delegation was received by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, along with the Secretary-General of the Iraqi Council of Ministers, Hamid al-Ghazi.

Hussein welcomed Prime Minister Salam, noting the importance of this visit in strengthening relations between Lebanon and Iraq and the “vital role of the summit in strengthening Arab solidarity and joint action.” He emphasized that “the summit is being held in Baghdad under exceptional circumstances that call for unified efforts to achieve security, stability, and sustainable development.”

For his part, Salam expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome, praising Baghdad’s “historic role in uniting Arab nations and building bridges of cooperation between our brothers,” and emphasizing the importance of strengthening Arab coordination “to confront current issues and common challenges.”