By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- On Saturday, Turkish President Erdogan was in Saudi Arabia to attend the 8th Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh for discussions on the Gaza conflict. As Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry stated: “Due to the exceptional circumstances in Gaza, the Kingdom has decided to convene an extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh on Saturday. It added: “This replaces the previously planned emergency Arab Summit and extraordinary Islamic Summit scheduled for the same date.” The ministry also said the reason for the Arab-Islamic Summit is to highlight a unified response from Arab leaders in the midst of “unprecedented developments in Gaza and the Palestinian territories.” Leaders are expected to propose definitive measures to be taken on Gaza in light of the most recent events. Erdogan plans to hold bilateral talks with Arab leaders at the joint summit. In his opening remarks at the summit, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) called for an immediate halt to all military activity in Gaza and the region. In addition, he said that all hostages and prisoners must be released immediately. Leaders attending the summit are expected to propose definitive measures to be taken in light of events unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank. The Turkish president will also hold bilateral talks with leaders as well. Erdogan along with Arab leaders has been calling for an urgent ceasefire as has U.N. chief Antonio Guterres and a host of other world leaders.
Official Saudi media stated that leaders and representative of the Arab League and the OIC are participating in the summit. Prior to the summit, Egypt’s official Middle East News Agency said that foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries met for a preparatory meeting whose goal is to reach “consensus on the draft final statement of the summit on the unified collective Arab and Islamic position.” Earlier on Saturday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that Gaza and the Palestinian territories are “witnessing dangerous and unprecedented developments that require Arab and Islamic unit to confront them and contain their repercussions.” Meanwhile, other groups have weighed in on the Gaza situation including more than 900 Black Christian faith leaders representing churches across America. The group took out a full-page advertisement in the New York Times entitled Black Christian Faith Leaders for Ceasefire,which said in part: “Our conscience and hearts compel us to call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.” They further stated: “We the undersigned Black Christian Faith Leaders implore President Biden to use every leverage available to him as President of the United States to call for an immediate bilateral ceasefire in the Middle East for the sake of our shared humanity and our collective security.” The leaders also urgently called for hostages to be released and for the killing of Palestinians and Israelis to stop.
Protests have been taking place across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Turkiye calling for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid to be allowed in as well as for all hostages to be released. Public opinion in the U.S. has been running low for President Biden according to the most recent polls put out by American media. In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s popularity has taken a severe hit with Israelis taking to the streets to protest his government. Even orthodox Jews in New York have been denouncing the violence against Palestinians, reminding those who Jews who are attacking Palestinians that they are violating the precepts of Judaism.
