Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Under the directives of King Salman and the continued efforts of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia today holds a significant Arab-Islamic summit aimed at addressing the intensifying crisis in Palestine and Lebanon. The summit, hosted in Riyadh, has gathered leaders from across the Arab and Islamic world, with discussions expected to focus on Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

H E Sayyid Badr al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, on assignment of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to head the Sultanate of Oman’s delegation participating in the work of the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit. Up on reaching King Khalid International Airport, he was greeted by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region, and a number of officials from the Saudi side.

H E Sayyid Badr also held a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, on the sidelines of the joint Arab-Islamic summit.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has highlighted Israel’s “aggression” in Gaza and Lebanon as the impetus for urgent action by Arab and Islamic leaders. The summit’s key objectives include ceasing hostilities, ensuring civilian protection, extending support to Palestinian and Lebanese populations, and unifying the stance of Arab and Islamic nations. Leaders are expected to urge the international community to take definitive action to end the violence and promote enduring peace and stability in the region.

This summit follows a similar gathering in Riyadh last year, convened by the Cairo-based Arab League and the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where leaders condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as “barbaric.” However, that meeting concluded without consensus on economic or diplomatic measures against Israel, despite calls from several member states to sever ties.

The Riyadh summit marks a critical moment as regional leaders seek to consolidate their response amid the ongoing conflicts, demonstrating the Kingdom’s role in advocating for peace and defending the causes of Islam and the Muslim world.