Over a month has passed since the Gaza Genocide but sadly the Muslim leaders have failed to put pressure on the Zionist government to end the deadly attacks in the area or push them for a ceasefire.
The era when oil served as a tool to advance the Palestinian cause is long gone. The recent joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League in Riyadh, attended by leaders from various Muslim states, faced a profound lack of direction in formulating a political and strategic response to the ongoing Israeli conflict in Gaza. The summit’s outcome was marked by a frustrating dynamic—taking one step forward only to retreat two steps. The participating nations failed to reach a consensus on how to address the relentless bombardment of Gaza, with divergent approaches among member states. Iran proposed a collective diplomatic and military confrontation with Israel, while Algeria and Lebanon advocated for the suspension of diplomatic and economic ties.
Ankara and Riyadh, on the other hand, limited themselves to condemnation, while Pakistan reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire. This disjointed approach dealt a severe blow to the Palestinian cause, leaving it in a state of uncertainty.
Despite the discord in approach, the summit’s final declaration achieved unanimity in rejecting Israeli claims of ‘self-defense’ and urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a ‘decisive and binding’ resolution to halt Israel’s aggression. Notably, the summit featured two significant events: President Ebrahim Raisi’s historic visit to Saudi Arabia, marking the first such visit by an Iranian leader in over a decade, and the return of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to an Arab diplomatic forum. The overall atmosphere of the summit suggested that any aspirations of Arab and Muslim states to gradually normalize relations with Tel Aviv have come to an indefinite halt.
Behind the scenes, the summit appeared to be more about conveying messages than publicly asserting a stance. With over 11,000 Gazans killed in a month due to Israeli aggression and the audacious invasion of the Gaza Strip with even nuclear threats, leaders in Riyadh faced visible pressure. Like Western countries, the Muslim world should come to rescue the people of Gaza rather than condemning only .
