Given that the Palestinian cause is Arabs' primary cause, the leaders of the Arab countries affirmed - at the ninth regular Arab summit held in 1978, in Baghdad, Iraq, their support for the PLO, and decided not to approve the Camp David Accords signed between Egypt and the Israeli occupation, because it conflicted with the decisions of the Arab summits. In November 1979, Tunisia hosted the tenth regular Arab summit, where the Arab leaders renewed their emphasis on their full commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause. In November 1980, the 11th regular Arab summit was held in Amman, Jordan, where the joint Arab action was ratified to confront the Zionist entity and the Charter of the National Economic Action. The 12th regular Arab summit was held in Fez, Morocco, at two stages, the first in November 1981, and the second in 1982. The summit resulted in an Arab condemnation of the Israeli aggression against the people and land of Lebanon, declaring support to Lebanon in all that leads to the implementatio n of Security Council resolutions requiring Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory up to the recognized international borders. After several emergency Arab summits, and with the advent of the new millennium, Arab summit conferences returned to regularity on a regular and annual basis. The 13th regular Arab summit was held in March 2001, in Amman, Jordan, during which it affirmed its full solidarity with the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights, and called for strengthening Arab solidarity and activating institutions of joint Arab action. In 2002, the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's initiative for peace in the Middle East was the focus of the 14th regular Arab summit, held in Beirut, Lebanon, after which the initiative was adopted to become the Arab Peace Initiative. In March 2003, the 15th regular Arab summit was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, during which it affirmed its absolute rejection of attacking Iraq or threatening the security an d safety of any Arab country, and stressed support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. In May 2004, the 16th regular Arab summit was held in Tunis, Tunisia, during which it condemned the ongoing and escalating Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and their authority, and affirmed supporting Lebanon in confronting Israel to achieve the liberation of all its territories, including the Shebaa Farms. During the 17th regular Arab summit, held in Algiers, Algeria, in 2005, the topic of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict was the most prominent on the summit's agenda. The Arab leaders renewed their commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative as the Arab project to achieve just, comprehensive and lasting peace, and condemned the Israeli entity's continued construction of the separation wall in the West Bank, affirming the paramount importance of the International Court of Justice's decision issued in this regard. The 18th regular Arab summit was held in March 2006, in Khartoum, Sudan, which reaf firmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the Arab leaders' adherence to the Arab Peace Initiative. The 19th regular Arab summit was held in March 2007, in Riyadh, KSA. The summit resulted in the Riyadh Declaration, in which the Arab leaders reaffirmed just and comprehensive peace as a strategic option for the Arab nation and the Arab Peace Initiative, which charts the correct approach to reaching a peaceful settlement of the Arab/Israeli conflict based on the principles of international legitimacy and its resolutions and the principle of land for peace. In March 2008, the 20th regular Arab summit was held in Damascus, Syria, where the Arab leaders affirmed in the summit's final statement their determination to commit to strengthening Arab solidarity in a way that preserves Arab national security, and ensures respect for the integrity and sovereignty of every Arab country and its right to defend itself and not interfere in its internal affairs. The Arab leaders also decided to work on many issues, most notably of which was the continuation to provide all forms of political, material and moral support to the Palestinian people and their legitimate resistance against the Israeli occupation and its aggressive policies. The 21st regular Arab summit was held in March 2009, in Doha, during which the commitment to Arab solidarity was emphasized, as well as adhering to Arab values and traditions, preserving the safety of all Arab countries, and respecting their sovereignty and legitimate right to defend their national independence, resources and capabilities, in addition to observing their political systems in accordance with their constitutions and laws, and the non-interference in their internal affairs. The 21st Arab summit also stressed resolving Arab differences through meaningful and constructive dialogue, working to enhance Arab relations, strengthening their ties and bonds, and preserving the supreme national interests of the Arab nation. The 22nd regular Arab summit was held in March 2010, in Sirte , Libya. Its declaration stipulated that the Arab countries adhere to Arab solidarity in practice and approach and strive to end any Arab differences, as well as devote the language of dialogue between Arab countries to eliminate the causes of disagreement and division, and to confront foreign interference in their internal affairs. It also stressed that just and lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories. Source: Qatar News Agency
Friday, September 20, 2024