The 34th Arab League Summit began on Saturday in Baghdad where Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit delivered a stark warning condemning armed factions and foreign policies that continue to destabilize the region—from Yemen and Syria to Palestine and Lebanon.
In his address, Aboul Gheit singled out Yemen’s Houthi rebels for exacerbating the country’s prolonged conflict and humanitarian collapse. “They are dragging Yemen into confrontation and devastation,” he said, describing the crisis as having reached “unimaginable levels.”
Aboul Gheit stressed that “there will be no real stability in Yemen unless the Houthis abandon violence and illegitimate power grabs,” and called for renewed diplomatic engagement to end the war.
Regarding Syria, Aboul Gheit voiced strong support for the lifting of US sanctions, arguing that it would create space for economic recovery and reintegration. “The lifting of US sanctions will help create a new economic reality inside Syria, and we will stand with Syria and its people,” he affirmed.
On Lebanon, he highlighted what he described as a “historic challenge,” urging that all weapons be placed under the control of the state.
Addressing the ongoing war in Gaza, Aboul Gheit called the situation in Palestine “the deepest wound for the Arab world.” He condemned Israel’s “reckless and aggressive policies” in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, warning that such actions “will only ignite further conflict and keep the region trapped in an endless cycle of confrontation.”
“The world remains silent in the face of the daily killing of women, children, and civilians,” he said, denouncing what he called an expansionist policy masked as a security doctrine.
The Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council of the Internationally Recognized Government of Yemen Rashad al-Alimi on Saturday called for dismantling what he described as a “cross-border” threat posed by the Houthi rebels, warning that the group endangers both regional and international peace and security.
Speaking at the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad, al-Alimi noted that Yemen has endured more than a decade of conflict with the Houthi rebels and its backers, stressing that all political efforts to persuade the group to abandon its “racist ideology” and accept international resolutions have failed.