"Arab League Summit in Baghdad: Focus on Gaza Conflict and Regional Diplomacy"
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"Arab League Summit in Baghdad: Focus on Gaza Conflict and Regional Diplomacy"
[!CDATA[Leaders from the region gathered in Baghdad for the annual Arab League summit, with the focus likely to be on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In a previous emergency summit in Cairo, Arab leaders supported a plan for rebuilding Gaza without displacing its residents. The current summit follows the end of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with Israel launching attacks in Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to escalate force against Hamas. The summit in Baghdad was overshadowed by U.S. President Donald Trump's recent visit to the region. Despite hopes for a new ceasefire in Gaza, Trump's visit did not result in a deal. Trump made headlines by meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who had previously fought against U.S. forces in Iraq, and promising to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria. Al-Sharaa, now Syria's president, did not attend the summit, and the Syrian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani. Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, had joined al-Qaida insurgents in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. He still faces terrorism charges in Iraq. His presence is sensitive for Iraqi Shiite militias who had fought alongside Syrian forces during the conflict in Syria. Iraq, balancing its relationships with the U.S. and Iran, aims to position itself as a regional mediator. An Iraqi political official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that Iran's Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani visited Baghdad before the summit. Ghaani conveyed messages of support for Iranian-American negotiations on a nuclear deal and called for the lifting of sanctions on Iran. The summit in Baghdad serves as a platform for regional leaders to address pressing issues and seek diplomatic solutions to ongoing conflicts.]]