Aboul Gheit: Unresolved Palestinian tragedy undermines regional stability

KUWAIT: The unresolved Palestinian tragedy remains a constant source of regional instability, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said, criticizing what he described as the selective humanitarian responses of some global powers.

Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of a lecture delivered at the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Diplomatic Institute on the challenges to regional stability, Aboul Gheit said the upcoming Arab Summit in Baghdad is a timely opportunity to revitalize joint Arab action amid mounting regional crises — most notably, the ongoing Zionist attack on Gaza.

The summit, he said, represents a chance to unify Arab states and confront intensifying external pressures and foreign interference in internal Arab affairs. He confirmed that Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki will travel to Baghdad to oversee preparations for the summit and expressed confidence in Iraq’s commitment to ensuring its success.

Ambassador Talal Al-Mutairi

Ahmed Aboul Gheit

The summit is expected to address major issues such as Palestine, Syria, Yemen, and Libya, alongside broader economic and development concerns. “We hope this summit leads to serious and effective decisions that contribute to restoring regional stability,” he said.

Aboul Gheit also highlighted the Arab League’s engagement in the Saudi-French initiative to revive the two-state solution for the Palestinian cause. He noted an upcoming summit in New York this June tied to the initiative, and pointed to Oman’s ongoing mediation efforts in US-Iran consultations. The secretary-general praised Kuwait’s historic and unwavering support for Arab causes — especially Palestine — and commended the Diplomatic Institute’s vital role in cultivating Kuwait’s next generation of diplomats.

In his lecture titled “Challenges to Stability in the Arab Region in a Changing World”, Aboul Gheit warned of a dangerous international climate shaped by intensifying geopolitical rivalries, particularly between the United States and China — signs, he said, of a looming new Cold War. “The world is entering a volatile historical phase,” he noted, “characterized by waning stability and a rise in nationalist currents that threaten global cohesion.”

He emphasized that internal fragmentation and ongoing foreign interventions have weakened the Arab world’s institutions, including the Arab League itself, citing diminished financial contributions from member states as a challenge.

Aboul Gheit concluded by stressing the need for collective Arab efforts to protect regional interests, support sustainable development, and promote political solutions to ongoing conflicts. — KUNA