File photo: Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan (C) chairing the Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League, a day ahead of a joint extraordinary leaders summit in Riyadh. AFP
"The mini Arab summit in Riyadh has been postponed from Thursday to Friday, February 21," a Saudi source said, adding "it will include the leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries along with Egypt and Jordan to discuss Arab alternatives to Trump's plans in the Gaza Strip."
The five-nation summit has expanded to include the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, according to two Arab diplomats who spoke to AFP on Monday.
The Riyadh summit was scheduled to take place befor the emergency Arab summit planned in Cairo this month, which was also announced to be postponed.
On Sunday, assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (AL) Hossam Zaki announced that the date of the emergency Arab summit, 27 February, in Cairo may be changed due to scheduling issues among participating leaders.
Zaki told ON TV Channel that Egypt is keen on ensuring the presence of the maximum number of leaders to guarantee the summit’s success, stressing that any potential delay would be purely for logistical reasons.
Zaki explained that the Cairo summit aims to formulate a strong and unified Arab stance on the Palestinian cause, particularly in response to the displacement proposal by Israel and later the US administration.
He clarified that Egypt’s proposal would be a key focus of the summit discussions. It offers ideas for reconstructing Gaza to create job opportunities without forcing residents to leave the strip.
Zaki also emphasized that the summit's main objective is to support the Palestinian people and strengthen their resilience. An official document reflecting this position will be issued.
Zaki also revealed that the participating countries in Riyadh's summit have been closely coordinating their efforts through regular meetings since the start of the Gaza war.
He noted that the Arab League was not officially invited to previous meetings of the summit in Riyadh but is always informed of key developments.
Furthermore, he suggested that Palestine could be invited to the upcoming Riyadh summit, which may lead to an agreed-upon framework for a broader Arab stance to be presented later at the Arab League.
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