Qatar’s Amir Leaves Arab Summit in Baghdad Shortly After Arrival
BAGHDAD,— Leaders from across the Arab world gathered Saturday in Baghdad for the annual Arab League summit, with the ongoing conflict in Gaza dominating the agenda once again.
Attending the Baghdad summit were Arab figures such as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
The gathering also included international participants, among them Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
The summit follows a March emergency meeting in Cairo, where Arab nations backed a proposal for the rebuilding of Gaza without forcing out its approximately two million residents.
This year’s meeting comes two months after the collapse of a truce between Israel and the Islamist militant group Hamas, originally brokered in January. Since then, Israeli forces have ramped up operations across Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to intensify military actions aimed at dismantling Hamas.
The high-level gathering in Baghdad was overshadowed by a regional visit earlier in the week by U.S. President Donald Trump. While expectations for a new ceasefire breakthrough were high, no such deal emerged.
However, Trump drew attention by meeting with Syria’s new President, Ahmad al-Sharaa — a former Islamist insurgent who fought against U.S. forces in Iraq — and pledging to lift American sanctions on Damascus.
Al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is currently serving as Syria’s interim president. His background includes past affiliations with al-Qaeda and ISIS, as well as founding the al-Nusra Front, which began as an al-Qaeda affiliate before rebranding as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Al-Sharaa did not attend the summit himself, as he has been accused of involvement in the killing of hundreds of Iraqis.
Syria was represented instead by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Al-Sharaa’s background as a Sunni militant has raised concerns among Iraqi Shiite factions and armed groups, some of which opposed his inclusion in the summit.
During the early years of the Syrian civil war, several Shiite militias from Iraq aligned with former Syrian President Bashar Assad, heightening sensitivities around al-Sharaa’s role.
Iraq, which maintains complicated relations with both Washington and Tehran, has tried to balance its position while promoting dialogue in the region.
According to a senior Iraqi political figure, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, Iran’s Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani visited Baghdad days before the summit to deliver messages of support for ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and to call for the easing of international sanctions on Iran.
Qatar’s ruling emir left the Iraqi capital Saturday just hours after arriving to attend a regional summit, according to Qatar’s state news agency.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had traveled to Baghdad to lead Qatar’s delegation at the 34th Arab League Summit.
No official reason was given for his early departure, and it was not immediately clear whether it was due to scheduling issues or other concerns.
(With files from AP | Agencies)
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