Arab leaders condemn Israeli assault on Gaza, Western double standards: Arab leaders condemned Israel’s war against Gaza in the strongest terms yet at yesterday’s international summit in Cairo and accused Western countries of selectively applying international law to the conflict. Egypt organized the gathering as part of a drive to get an agreement on a ceasefire and a lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.

No joint statement: The summit ended without a joint statement due to disagreements over condemning Hamas. A diplomatic source told AFP that Arab leaders refused Western demands for “a clear condemnation placing responsibility for the escalation on Hamas,” leaving Egypt to release astatement on its own.

Western response “incomprehensible”: Egypt’s statement, reportedly approved by other Arab nations, called Western leaders’ failure to condemn Israel’s indiscriminate bombing campaign “incomprehensible” and accused them of selectively applying international law. “We even see attempts to justify this killing, as if the life of the Palestinian human being is less important than that of other people,” the statement read.

Who attended: Most of our allies in the region, with the leaders of the Palestinian Authority, UAE, Jordan, Qatar, Libya, Kuwait Iraq, and Bahrain all in attendance, as well as Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as well as senior diplomats from China and Russia were present, as well as major European nations who mostly sent their foreign ministers, with the exception of Spain and Italy, whose prime ministers were in attendance. Representing the UN was Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the EU, Charles Michel.

Who didn’t: The US declined to send senior officials to the gathering while Hamas and Israel were not present.

Egypt is “vehemently” opposed to Palestinian displacement, El Sisi says: “Egypt is reiterating its vehement rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinians and their transfer to Egyptian lands in Sinai, as this will mark the last gasp in the liquidation of the Palestinian cause,” President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said in his opening statement. “Two-and-a-half mn Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are being subjected to collective punishment. They are living under siege and facing starvation and ferocious pressure of forced displacement.”

Strong words:In their speeches, Arab officials criticized in harsh terms Israel and the West’s behavior in the conflict:

  • Jordan’s King Abdullah said that Israeli forces were committing a “war crime” in their bombing of Gaza and said the world’s response shows that international law is optional. Abdullah said that Palestinian displacement is a “red line for all of us.”
  • Saudi FM calls out double standards: “We reject the double standards and selectivity practiced by some in the international community,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. “We call on the international community to pressure the Israeli side to lift the siege and stop the military operations.” He also expressed “categorical rejection” of attempts to displace the population.
  • UAE calls for immediate ceasefire: The UAE “stands unwavering in its calls for the utmost protection of civilian lives, unimpeded access for humanitarian aid, and an immediate end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip,” said UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
  • Israel committing genocide -Iraqi PM: “The Palestinian people are facing genocide and a grave humanitarian crisis” due to the ongoing conflict, said Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al Sudani. He called for an immediate ceasefire and for international law to be upheld.
  • Gazans subject to collective punishment -Guterres:Hamas’ attack on Israel “can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling for an immediate end to the conflict.

WEEKEND PROTESTS-

Protests at home: Tens of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets after Friday prayers to condemn Israel’s war on Gaza. Demonstrations took place at 27 state-approved locations around the country as well as downtown Cairo (watch, runtime: 1:12) and Al Azhar (watch, runtime: 1:47). The National Dialogue and pro-government party Mostaqbal Watan had called on Egyptians to protest the potential displacement of Palestinians into the Sinai, a day after El Sisi said that Egyptians will “go out and protest in their mns … if called upon to do so.”

And abroad: Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protested the war across the Muslim world on Friday. Large rallies took place from Turkey and Tunisia to Indonesia and Malaysia, while thousands of Iraqis staged a sit-in at the border with Jordan. Demonstrations also took place in the West, including in London, where 100k people took part in a rally, and Los Angeles.

AID DELIVERED + SOME HOSTAGES FREED-

Limited aid has arrived in Gaza, much more is needed: Twenty trucks carrying vital supplies of aid crossed the border at Rafah on Saturday, the first to do so since the conflict in Gaza broke out two weeks ago, state TV showed yesterday (watch, runtime: 7:48).

Remember: Israel has imposed a total siege on the enclave, triggering a shortage of water and food and leaving hospitals on the verge of collapse. The government last week agreed to allow a small number of trucks to enter following talks with US President Joe Biden but is continuing to impose a blockade on fuel, which is vital for keeping hospitals operational.

A drop in the ocean: The Palestinian Red Crescent welcomed the delivery but said the “miniscule” amount is just a “drop in the ocean” of what is needed to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. “Furthermore, without fuel entering the Gaza Strip to support generating electricity, thousands of Palestinian lives are at risk of death in hospitals,” it said in a statement on X.

More could enter today:More aid trucks could cross Egypt’s Rafah border into Gaza today, UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said yesterday, according to Reuters.

Two hostages released: Hamas on Friday released two American hostages for what it said were “humanitarian reasons” following Qatari mediation, according to Reuters. The hostages, a mother and daughter from Chicago, are the first of the 200+ hostages taken by the armed group two weeks ago to be released.

GEARING UP FOR INVASION-

Israel to increase bombing intensity ahead of ground invasion: “We will deepen our attacks to minimize the dangers to our forces in the next stages of the war. We are going to increase the attacks from [Sunday],” an IDF official told reporters last night, according to the Associated Press.

A three-phase conflict: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday the military is aiming to remove Hamas from Gaza in three phases, starting with an air and ground offensive followed by a period of low-intensity combat. “The third step will be the creation of a new security regime in the Gaza Strip, the removal of Israel’s responsibility for day-to-day life in the Gaza Strip,” he told reporters.

“New security reality”? It’s not clear what the IDF’s post-war plans are in the event that it defeats Hamas. The country’s foreign minister last week became the latest government official to suggest it will annex part of the territory. Another minister has said it could create a large demilitarized zone. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported yesterday that US and Israeli officials are discussing setting up a UN-sponsored interim government in coordination with some Arab states.

DIPLOMACY-

Egypt won’t be a party to ethnic cleansing: El Sisi told UK PM Rishi Sunak on Friday that there is no way Egypt will allow Palestinians to be displaced into Sinai (watch, runtime: 4:46). UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was in town the day prior for talks with Shoukry. Turkey is taking our side, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telling El Sisi on Friday that Ankara doesn’t want to see Gazans resettled in Egypt (Ittihadiya | Turkish president’s office).

Israel is withdrawing from the region: The country withdrew its ambassador and diplomatic staff from Turkey yesterday, a few days after it did the same with its diplomatic representation in Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and Morocco. The government also told its citizens to leave Egypt and Jordan as soon as possible, and to avoid travel to Morocco.

ALSO- China has called for a ceasefire and Iran wants an oil embargo on Israel (IRNA | Reuters).

ECONOMIC FALLOUT FOR ISRAEL?

Fitch Ratings has put Israel’s credit rating on notice for a downgrade and currency speculators are heaping pressure on the ILS as the impact of the war triggers concerns about the economy. (Fitch Ratings | Financial Times)

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