Palestine’s fate, Syria’s return: Key topics at Arab League summit

Syria and Palestine are likely to be the two significant issues for discussion and decision-making at the Arab League Summit that opens Friday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Many Arab leaders are expected to participate, including, potentially, de facto ruler of Sudan Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, who is currently fighting for control of the country in an armed civil conflict.

Syria is expected to be present at the summit after a decade of absence, although it remains unclear whether President Bashar Assad himself will represent the country. Arab opposition to Syria has weakened in the past months, with only Qatar, Kuwait, and Morocco continuing to oppose Syria’s reintroduction into the Arab League. Qatar’s opposition mostly stems from an attempt to curry favor with the US. Kuwait’s opposition has to do with internal politics while Morocco’s is due to Syria’s support of a separatist movement in Western Sahara. READ MORE