Dr. Jamal Harfoush: The success of the Riyadh Summit will depend on its ability to unify the Arab ranks in a practical position that rises to the level of challenges

Khalil Shaheen: Holding the five-party summit reflects an Egyptian and Jordanian trend to form an Arab consensus that paves the way for the success of the emergency Arab summit

Dr. Saad Nimr: The five-party summit aims to agree on a common vision to be presented to the leaders at the Arab Summit in Cairo

Adnan Al-Sabah: What is required from the five-party summit is a clear position that rejects any attempts to turn the Palestinian issue into an internal file

Dr. Abdul Majeed Suwailem: An important introduction to the Arab Summit and paving the way for building an Arab-Islamic-international front to confront American and Israeli plans

Noman Abed: A clear and comprehensive plan is required to confront Trump’s displacement projects or draw a political map for the Palestinian issue

All eyes are on the upcoming five-party summit in Riyadh, which comes at a sensitive political moment amid Israeli and American ambitions and the fateful challenges facing the Palestinian cause.

In separate interviews with “I”, writers, political analysts, specialists and university professors believe that this summit stands out as a crucial opportunity for the Arabs to transcend narrow calculations and unite their ranks in the face of the dangers threatening Palestinian rights, with anticipation of decisions that go beyond formal condemnation towards practical measures that reflect a real political will, and that the five-party summit will pave the way for decisive decisions at the upcoming Arab summit in Cairo on the 27th of this month.

The writers, analysts, specialists and university professors explain that the five-party summit has strategic dimensions, as it is expected to discuss crucial files, most notably the rejection of forced displacement in Gaza, and stopping the Israeli aggression, in addition to supporting reconstruction through Arab mechanisms that guarantee the return of life to the Strip. The summit is also expected to address ways to confront settlement and Judaization in Jerusalem, while taking steps to strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinians and confront the plans targeting Islamic and Christian holy sites.

They stress that the results of this summit are of particular importance, as they are linked to the upcoming emergency Arab summit in Cairo, as its outcomes will constitute a test of Arab unity and the ability to formulate a unified position that supports Palestinian rights in international forums. Eyes remain fixed on the expected decisions, amid hopes that they will go beyond slogans to concrete steps that will restore the Palestinian cause to its Arab and international momentum.

A pivotal political station amid regional developments

Professor Dr. Jamal Harfoush, Professor of Scientific Research Methods and Political Studies at the University of the Academic Research Center in Brazil, confirms that the convening of the five-party summit in Riyadh with the participation of Palestine represents a pivotal political station amid regional developments and the fateful challenges facing the Palestinian cause.

Harfoush stresses that this summit may constitute a qualitative shift in the Arab position if it goes beyond the stage of traditional condemnation and moves to taking effective and binding measures that reflect the true Arab political will.

He points out that the current stage, in light of the Israeli escalation and international pressures, requires fateful decisions from Arab leaders that go beyond formal statements, considering that continued Arab inaction or issuing non-binding decisions will only lead to weakening the Palestinian position and opening the way for further Israeli encroachment on Palestinian land.

Harfoush stresses that the success of this summit will depend on the ability of the participating countries to overcome narrow political calculations and internal differences, and to unify the Arab ranks in a practical position that rises to the level of the challenges, especially in light of the Israeli military escalation that aims to impose solutions that do not serve the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

The five-party summit is expected to focus on a number of crucial issues that reflect the depth of the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.

Harfoush explains that the most prominent expected issues are: rejecting forced displacement and imposing a new reality in Gaza, while calling on the international community to take urgent action to prevent the occupation from implementing policies of genocide and mass displacement against the Palestinians, stopping the Israeli aggression and lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, while emphasizing the necessity of reconstruction with an Arab guarantee that ensures the return of normal life to the Strip.

Harfoush points out that the summit will emphasize confronting settlement and Judaization in the West Bank and Jerusalem, through direct financial support mechanisms to enhance the steadfastness of the Palestinians and reject any attempts to divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque in terms of time and space, in addition to taking Arab measures to protect Islamic and Christian holy sites from Judaization and violations.

Among the outcomes, according to Harfoush, are unified Arab moves in international forums to support the Palestinian leadership in its efforts to obtain full membership in the United Nations, with an escalation of the legal battle against the occupation before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, which will enhance international pressure on Israel and expose its ongoing violations.

Also, according to Harfoush, reviewing Arab relations with Israel, by reconsidering the normalization agreements that did not lead to any Israeli commitment to resolving the Palestinian issue, but were rather used to perpetuate the occupation and expand settlements, which requires imposing deterrent economic and diplomatic measures, including freezing security or economic cooperation.

Regarding the relationship between the upcoming five-party summit in Riyadh and the expanded Arab summit in Cairo, Harfoush explains that the five-party summit will be a real test of the unified Arab position, as its results will determine the course of the Cairo summit and its ability to come up with solid decisions.

Harfoush explains that the impact of the five-party summit on the Cairo summit will be tangible through three main axes: crystallizing consensus on clear and binding decisions in preparation for the Cairo summit to come out with more solid decisions. However, if it fails to achieve harmony in positions, this will lead to the weakening of the Cairo summit and make it unable to take decisive decisions.

The second matter, according to Harfoush, is raising the ceiling of decisions at the Cairo Summit. If the five-party summit includes bold positions, such as imposing economic sanctions or international legal steps against the occupation, this will put pressure on the Cairo Summit to adopt similar positions, which will increase the weight of the Arab position in international forums. However, if the results of the five-party summit are weak, this may lead to frustration among the Arab and Palestinian streets.

Harfoush points out that the third matter is to give momentum to international diplomatic movements by establishing a unified Arab diplomatic campaign to support the Palestinian position in international forums, which may give the Cairo Summit additional strength to adopt decisions that support the Palestinian cause strongly and clearly.

Harfoush stresses that the success of the five-party summit in Riyadh will constitute a decisive introduction to the success of the Cairo summit, as the unity of the Arab decision will strengthen the Palestinian position at the international level, while any retreat or complacency in positions will only lead to the continuation of the Israeli aggression without deterrence.

Harfoush stresses that the next stage requires political courage and a strong Arab will, because the Palestinian cause can no longer tolerate more formal statements or non-binding diplomatic declarations.

The coming days will witness important political entitlements

Writer and political analyst Khalil Shaheen confirms that the coming days will witness important political entitlements related to the Gaza Strip file, starting with the five-party summit in Riyadh, which will be held with Palestinian attendance, then the emergency Arab summit in Cairo, followed by a meeting of the foreign ministers of Islamic countries.

Shaheen points out that these political stations fall within the framework of examining mechanisms to confront US President Donald Trump's plan to displace the people of the Gaza Strip.

Shaheen explains that the holding of the five-party summit reflects an Egyptian and Jordanian trend to form an Arab consensus that paves the way for the success of the emergency Arab summit in Cairo, stressing the existence of a clear Arab and Palestinian consensus on rejecting the principle of displacement, despite the continuing disagreements over other files, most notably the reconstruction of Gaza and the conditions for its financing.

Shaheen discusses the details of the Egyptian plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip, explaining that it is being carried out in coordination with the Palestinian side and with the participation of European parties.

Shaheen points out that the plan includes stages that begin with bringing in rubble removal equipment and securing safe areas for the displaced, then moving on to leveling the lands and gradually rebuilding according to specific areas.

It is believed that the dispute over the plan revolves mainly around the financial aspect, as some Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, stipulate that Hamas relinquish management of the Strip as a condition for participating in financing the reconstruction.

Shaheen points out that other Arab parties are linking their support to implementing reforms within the Palestinian Authority, including restructuring or amending the government.

Shaheen refers to a previous Egyptian proposal to form a “community support committee” as a transitional mechanism to manage Gaza outside the framework of Hamas, but it was rejected by President Mahmoud Abbas and the Fatah movement.

Shaheen explains that the Arab position is divided into two main trends: the first supports strengthening the role of the Palestinian Authority on condition that reforms are implemented, whether by forming a new government headed by another figure or by making a limited ministerial amendment while Dr. Muhammad Mustafa remains Prime Minister. The second trend, represented by Egypt, calls for the formation of an administrative committee affiliated with the Palestinian Authority during a transitional period, as a compromise solution that ensures Hamas’s gradual exit from the scene.

Shaheen stresses that the five-party summit represents a decisive station in the Palestinian reconciliation file, as it may witness an Arab consensus on a mechanism for managing the Gaza Strip, which will put pressure on the two parties to the Palestinian division, the Fatah and Hamas movements, to reach an agreement on restructuring the government or forming a transitional committee to manage the Strip.

Shaheen stresses that the absence of internal Palestinian consensus may push Arab countries to impose a ready-made formula as a condition for obtaining Arab support for reconstruction.

He stressed that the emergency Arab summit, which will follow the five-party summit, as well as the Islamic summit, are expected to support the Egyptian proposal for reconstruction, which is being presented as an alternative to the American displacement plan.

Shaheen points out that this plan, if it receives Arab support, will create a new political dynamic and constitute an alternative to the American proposal in international circles.

Regarding reconstruction funding, Shaheen stressed that the success of the Egyptian plan requires broad Arab support, especially from influential countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, in addition to mobilizing international support from the European Union, Russia and China, which usually support the collective Arab position, stressing that Arab consensus on the plan will contribute to facilitating the mobilization of international funding.

Shaheen stresses that the most complex challenge is determining which Palestinian party will supervise the reconstruction process.

Shaheen believes that this file may be resolved either through internal Palestinian consensus or through Arab pressure that imposes a transitional formula, warning of the scenario of a "political vacuum" that may lead to the disruption of the implementation of the reconstruction plan despite the availability of Arab and international support.

Shaheen stresses the necessity for the Palestinians themselves to take the initiative to manage a serious internal dialogue between Fatah and Hamas, with the aim of presenting a consensus formula to the Arab side, to avoid the scenario of imposing ready-made solutions from the outside that do not serve Palestinian interests in the long term.

Preparing for the upcoming Arab Summit in Cairo

Dr. Saad Nimr, Professor of Political Science at Birzeit University, believes that the five-party summit scheduled to be held in Riyadh comes within the framework of preparing for the upcoming Arab summit, with the aim of agreeing on a common vision to be presented to Arab leaders.

Nimr points out that there are leaks talking about an Egyptian plan that may be presented during the five-party summit before the Arab summit is held in Cairo at the end of this month.

Nimr explains that these leaks point to a proposal that gives Egypt the responsibility of military supervision over the Gaza Strip, while another Arab party takes over civil administration and Egypt takes over reconstruction, without involving the Palestinian Authority, which is consistent with Israeli and American proposals that aim to exclude both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas from the political scene.

Nimr expressed his concern that this proposal would lead to the formation of an Arab administration for the Gaza Strip, under Egyptian sponsorship, similar to the situation that existed before 1967.

Nimr points out that this data raises serious questions about Egypt's ability to deal with the security and military challenges in the Gaza Strip.

Nimr stresses that these proposals do not represent a political victory for the Palestinians and do not provide a just solution to the Palestinian issue, as they ignore the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and exclude the main Palestinian parties from any future arrangements.

Nimr links this proposal to previous statements by US President Donald Trump about the possibility of displacing the residents of Gaza, a proposal that caused widespread confusion in Arab positions.

Nimr stresses that the forced displacement of the residents of Gaza is practically impossible, given the absolute Palestinian popular rejection, in addition to the official refusal of Egypt and Jordan to receive any displaced persons from the Strip.

Nimr believes that the upcoming Arab summit will adopt positions rejecting annexation and displacement, but it may remain within the framework of statements without moving to concrete practical steps, as was the custom in previous Arab summits.

Nimr stresses that if the Arabs want their summit to be different this time, they must face the challenges with decisive positions and measures instead of being satisfied with verbal statements.

A pivotal moment in the history of the Arab position

Writer and political analyst Adnan Al-Sabah asserts that the five-party summit in Riyadh represents a pivotal moment in the history of the Arab position towards the Palestinian issue, stressing that what is required from the Arab side is easier than the leaders imagine, but it requires real political will and fateful decisions.

Al-Sabah points out that the essence of the issue is that the Israeli occupation, supported by the United States of America, seeks to hold the Arabs responsible for the consequences of their crime against the Palestinian cause.

Al-Sabah explains that the United States and the occupying state do not want the Palestinians to be displaced to Jordan or Egypt, because that would represent a direct threat to their national security, or would open new fronts that could threaten the stability of the entire region.

Al-Sabah believes that the real responsibility for responding to Trump's displacement plans is a collective Palestinian responsibility, not an Arab responsibility.

Al-Sabah stresses that this approach represents a strategic danger, because the real goal is to push the Palestinians to accept options that do not meet the minimum of their national rights, or to push them into forced migration, while Trump seeks to hold the Arabs responsible for his crisis.

Al-Sabah says: “If what is required is to expel the Palestinian people, then whoever wants that should be asked to bear responsibility, not to evade it and place it on the Arabs alone.”

Regarding the American role in this scenario, Al-Sabah indicates that the administration of US President Donald Trump aims to use the Gaza Strip as a key to expanding its influence in the region.

Al-Sabah points out that the United States is seeking to find an entry point to enter the Gaza Strip under the pretext of achieving stability or reconstruction, while the real goal is to transform Gaza into an American military base from which to manage the region’s conflicts, including pressuring Egypt and controlling the gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean, including Egyptian gas.

It is believed that the American plan does not stop at Palestine, but extends to imposing hegemony over the entire region, and even confronting European interests in the region.

Sabah refers to the dangerous statement made by Trump in his presidential inauguration speech when he said: “The war you win is the war you don’t fight.”

Al-Sabah explains that this phrase reflects the doctrine of American hegemony based on control through political and economic pressures rather than direct wars, stressing that Washington seeks to ignite proxy wars to achieve its goals without direct involvement in long-term conflicts.

Al-Sabah warns that the Arabs' response to American pressure will only bring more chaos and wars in the region, pointing out that the American goal is to dominate the region's wealth and turn it into an arena of permanent conflicts that serve American interests alone, as America seeks to transform itself into an empire that controls the world, and this will only happen through fueling wars and bloodshed.

Al-Sabah stresses that what is required of the Arab leaders at the Riyadh Summit is not a miracle, but rather a clear position that restores the Palestinian cause to its position as a central global issue, especially after the massacre in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Sabah says: “If the Arabs wanted to, the decision would be easier than they imagine, because the presence of the Palestinians on their land is not an Arab problem. It is their own problem, and the problem is with those who force them to emigrate.”

A historic opportunity to redraw the Arab position towards the Palestinian issue

Writer and political analyst Dr. Abdul Majeed Suwailem asserts that the upcoming five-party summit in Riyadh represents a pivotal moment in Arab dealing with the challenges facing the Palestinian cause, warning that the continuation of Arab laxity is no longer acceptable in light of the worsening danger threatening the entire region.

Suwailem stresses that the current stage no longer tolerates the policy of "agreeing to disagree", which characterized Arab positions in the past.

The danger of the situation does not lie only in the practical ability to implement the “Trump fabrication” regarding Gaza, according to Suwailem, who believes that the practical capabilities of such a plan are weak, but it clearly reflects that the danger has become imminent, as Israel or the United States will not hesitate to exploit any favorable opportunity to implement their plans.

Suwailem stresses that this imminent danger forces Arab countries to change their traditional way of dealing with the Palestinian issue, because the threat is now on the doorstep of the Arab world, and it is no longer possible to continue with policies of evasion or to be satisfied with symbolic positions.

Suwailem believes that the Arabs missed an important opportunity after October 7, 2023, when the war broke out on Gaza, as they could have contained the escalating danger if they had taken a firm stance to support the Palestinian people in confronting the Israeli aggression, which was fully supported by the United States. He stressed that what was required at that time was not to enter into a direct war, but rather to adopt a strong and effective political stance that would confront the aggression and highlight to the world the unity of the Arab position.

Suwailem stresses that the failure of the Arab countries to take actual action at that time was a major political loss, as they lost the opportunity to build political credit with their people, and weakened their regional and international position, at a time when the battle was extending beyond the borders of Gaza to a comprehensive threat to Arab national security.

As for the upcoming five-party summit in Riyadh, Suwailem indicates that he does not expect formal decisions to be issued, or decisions limited to the usual condemnation and denunciation, but rather he expects them to result in more advanced steps, even if they are less than the level of the challenges imposed.

Suwailem asserts that the current Arab regimes lack the ability to confront American hegemony or challenge Israeli arrogance in a manner commensurate with the magnitude of the risks, but they are forced to make qualitative decisions that restore some of the lost confidence to their people.

Suwailem explains that the decisions of the five-party summit are expected to include a complete rejection of displacement plans, and an emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian territories, including that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian state, in addition to emphasizing that any future peace process must be conditional on prior recognition of the establishment of the Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967.

Suwailem points out that the five-party summit may also stress that the continuation of Arab relations with Israel or the United States is contingent on their commitment to a real political path that leads to a two-state solution, noting that the existing agreements between some Arab countries and Israel will not hold if the occupation continues to ignore Palestinian rights.

Suwailem asserts that the five-party summit could represent an important introduction to the upcoming Arab summit, with a primary goal of paving the way for building a broad Arab-Islamic-international front to confront American and Israeli plans.

Suwailem stresses that this front must include the countries of the Global South and the European Union, considering that unifying efforts at the regional and international levels can form an impregnable barrier against American-Israeli arrogance.

Suwailem believes that the success of the five-party summit in achieving this goal requires that its outcomes go beyond stereotypical decisions, and that they carry a clear message that defending Palestine is essentially defending Arab national security, pointing out that this fact has become more evident after the escalation of Israeli aggression and the expansion of the scope of its threats.

Suwailem stressed that the five-party summit represents a historic opportunity to redraw the Arab position on the Palestinian issue, calling for it to be transformed into a founding platform for a broader global front that includes Arab and Islamic countries, along with the powers of the global South and the countries of the European Union.

Suwailem stresses that the success of these efforts will be a great victory not only for Palestine, but for truth and justice, as the political realism that the summit must adopt is not one that surrenders to the status quo, but one that faces challenges wisely and effectively, and defends the supreme interests of Palestine and Arab national security.

The results of the "quintet" will be reflected in the outcomes of the Arab Summit

The writer and political analyst specializing in international relations, Naaman Abed, confirms that the American and Israeli vision has become clear regarding the Palestinian issue, as the Israeli occupation state, with the support of the United States of America, seeks to liquidate the Palestinian issue, whether through settlement policies in the West Bank or through plans to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip.

Abed points out that these plans aim to end the conflict in Israel's favor, and to hold the countries of the region responsible for the Palestinian people, ignoring their political, national, and historical rights.

Abed explains that US President Donald Trump's plan, which included the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, was accompanied by escalating Israeli measures, most notably the reoccupation of areas in the Strip, the escalation of settlement activity, and the Judaization of East Jerusalem in the West Bank.

Abed asserts that these steps reveal a comprehensive American-Israeli plan aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause and removing it from the international agenda, in exchange for placing the burden of its repercussions on Arab and regional countries, especially with regard to the responsibility for Palestinian refugees.

Abed points out that the Egyptian and Jordanian response to the displacement plan was decisive, as the two countries declared their categorical rejection of any proposals related to the displacement of the Palestinian people, stressing that this clear position constituted an obstacle to the passage of projects aimed at liquidating Palestinian national rights.

Abed points to the features of a new Egyptian plan that aims to establish the Palestinian people on their land, especially in the Gaza Strip, through gradual reconstruction with the participation of Palestinian hands and expertise, but with Arab and international support.

Abed explains that this plan stems from a deep awareness of the dangers posed by American and Israeli policies, and emphasizes the necessity of finding solutions that are in harmony with the Palestinian reality and its national rights, foremost among which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Abed stressed that the five-party summit to be held in Riyadh is of great importance, as its results will directly reflect on the outcomes of the upcoming Arab summit in Cairo at the end of this month.

Abed stresses the need for the five-party summit to come up with a clear and comprehensive plan that the Palestinian Authority will review, to confront the Trump administration’s projects, whether in relation to displacement or redrawing the political map of the Palestinian issue according to the Israeli vision.

Abed points out that the plan expected from the five-party summit must be based on three main axes: First, stabilizing the Palestinian people on their land, stopping the Israeli aggression, and starting the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip; Second, drawing a clear political path that leads to ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state; and Third, strengthening the joint Arab diplomatic movement, including conveying the Arab position in a unified manner to the next Arab summit and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Abed warns of the danger of any divisions in Arab and Islamic positions, pointing out that any difference in visions will allow the American administration and Israel to exploit these differences to impose their vision, which revolves around ending the conflict in accordance with American and Israeli interests, and holding the Arab countries responsible for the Palestinian refugees, which would consolidate Israeli expansion projects under the umbrella of what is called “Greater Israel.”

Abed stresses that the success of the Arab plan in confronting the American and Israeli plans requires a unified Palestinian position, based on presenting a comprehensive vision for what is known as the “day after” in the Gaza Strip.

Abed explains that the unified Palestinian position gives additional strength to the Arab position, and supports the decisions of the Arab Summit in the face of American and Israeli pressures that seek to exploit the Palestinian and Arab division to impose solutions that are consistent with the occupation’s ambitions.

Abed stresses that what is required today is to unify the Arab and Islamic position, enhance joint coordination, and develop a comprehensive plan that goes beyond the humanitarian aspect and reconstruction to enter into the heart of the Palestinian cause, through adherence to ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state with the support of the Arab countries, while stressing that the unity of the Palestinian and Arab ranks is the basic key to the success of these efforts in confronting the American and Israeli plans.