ALGIERS: Leaders from the Arab world will meet for the first time since a string of normalization deals with Israel left the already divided the region even more fractured.
Since the last Arab League summit in 2019, several members of the 22-member bloc – for decades a forum for strident declarations of support for the Palestinian cause – have normalized ties with the Jewish state.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) went first in a historic U.S.-mediated deal that made the country the third Arab state, after Egypt and Jordan, to establish full ties with Israel.
The UAE’s move sparked similar accords with Bahrain and Morocco – and a provisional agreement with Sudan – deepening Morocco’s decades-old rivalry with its neighbor Algeria. The host of the summit on Tuesday and Wednesday remains a steadfast supporter of the Palestinians, even mediating a reconciliation deal in October between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.
While few believe that deal will last, it was seen as a public relations coup for Algeria, which has been seeking more regional clout on the back of its growing status as a gas exporter.
This week’s summit will be another opportunity for President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to do just that.
He has rolled out the red carpet for his guests, whom he hosted for a sumptuous opening dinner on Tuesday at 6:00 pm (5 p.m. GMT).
The main roads of Algiers have been decked out with Arab flags and huge billboards welcoming “brother Arabs”. –Agencies
