The Jeddah Declaration, issued at the conclusion of the Arab Summit in Jeddah yesterday, expressed a deep desire to restore a unified Arab umbrella that supports closing the chapter of conflicts and re-establishing the Arab role in the region to build healthy relationships with neighboring countries and the world. The summit highlighted the attendance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which reflected the Arab aspiration to assume a responsible role regarding international peace. Zelensky's presence and the message from President Vladimir Putin to the summit showcased the significant role played by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in efforts to contain the fire of conflicts and alleviate their repercussions and damages, leveraging Saudi Arabia's regional and international weight and its ability to engage with all parties.
On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chaired the regular 32nd session of the Arab League Council at the summit, affirming to neighboring countries and friends in the East and West that "we are moving towards peace, goodness, cooperation, and construction, in a manner that achieves the interests of our peoples and preserves the rights of our nation. We will not allow our region to become battlegrounds for conflicts, and with the closure of the past, it is enough to remember the painful years of conflicts that the region has endured, which have hindered the development journey."
The Crown Prince expressed his pleasure at the participation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the summit and the Arab League's decision to resume the participation of Syrian government delegations in its meetings. He stated: "We hope this will contribute to supporting the stability of Syria, restoring normalcy, and resuming its natural role in the Arab world."
### The Palestinian Cause as the Arab Cause
He added: "The Palestinian cause has been, and remains, the central issue for Arabs and Muslims, topping the priorities of the Kingdom's foreign policy. The Kingdom has never hesitated or delayed in supporting the brotherly Palestinian people to regain their lands and restore their legitimate rights, and to establish an independent sovereign Palestinian state on the territories occupied since 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and other agreed-upon international references, in a manner that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people."
### A Comprehensive Political Solution for the Yemeni Crisis
He continued: "Your brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are devoting their efforts to support Arab issues, and we are working to assist the Yemeni parties in reaching a comprehensive political solution that ends the Yemeni crisis. Regarding Sudan, we hope that the language of dialogue will be the foundation to maintain the unity of Sudan, the safety of its people, and its resources. In this regard, Saudi Arabia welcomes the signing of the Jeddah Declaration by the conflicting parties, committing to protecting civilians and facilitating humanitarian work. We hope to focus during the talks on an effective ceasefire and continue to cooperate with our brothers, friends, and the international community in humanitarian efforts and activating relief channels for the brotherly Sudanese people."
### The Crisis in Ukraine
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for anything that contributes to reducing its intensity and preventing the deterioration of humanitarian conditions, expressing Riyadh's readiness to continue mediation efforts between Moscow and Kyiv, and supporting international efforts to resolve the crisis politically.
For his part, Zelensky thanked Saudi Arabia for the support it had provided to his country in the past and said that the delegations participating in the summit would receive the text of his ten-point peace plan. He requested the delegations to work directly with Ukraine without intermediaries.
Zelensky's attendance at the Jeddah Summit coincided with President Vladimir Putin's message to the Arab leaders meeting in Saudi Arabia, stating: "We believe that continuing to expand multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Arab countries fully meets our mutual interests and aligns with building a fairer and more democratic system for international relations based on multipolar principles."
At the conclusion of the Jeddah Summit, the Saudi Crown Prince met with several Arab leaders, including the Syrian President, who emphasized in his speech the necessity of "leaving internal issues to their peoples, as they are capable of managing their affairs; all we have to do is prevent external interventions in their countries and assist them upon request exclusively." He added that Syria's "past, present, and future is Arabism."
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the adoption of the Jeddah Declaration at the end of the Arab Summit after the approval of the Arab leaders. The declaration emphasized the centrality of the Palestinian cause, called for prioritizing dialogue and unity to resolve the Sudanese crisis, congratulated Syria on its return to the Arab fold, and supported everything that ensures the security and stability of Yemen, urging Lebanese parties to elect a President for the Republic.
The declaration also underscored the importance of enhancing Arab joint action based on common principles, values, and interests, the necessity of unifying the voice, and cooperating to maintain security and stability, protecting the sovereignty of Arab countries and the coherence of their institutions.
