Cairo Statement Issued by the Extraordinary Arab Summit (Palestine Summit)

Cairo Statement
Issued by the Extraordinary Arab Summit (Palestine Summit)

March 4, 2025 – Ramadan 4, 1446

We, the leaders of the Arab States,

Driven by a profound awareness of the gravity of this critical juncture in our region’s history — particularly concerning the Palestinian cause, which remains the central cause of the Arab world and a just cause embraced by all nations and peoples who aspire to peace, uphold justice as their guiding principle and freedom as their aspiration — we reaffirm our unity in the face of all attempts to erode the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. We remain steadfast in our commitment to redressing the historic injustice inflicted upon them as a fundamental step toward a just peace, honouring the sacrifices of generations and saluting the unparalleled resilience of the Palestinian people, who for 15 months have endured relentless aggression and inhumane policies with unwavering defiance,

Affirming the outcomes of the Arab Summit held in Manama on May 16, 2024, and the principles enshrined in the Bahrain Declaration — which reaffirm our belief in the values of tolerance and coexistence, mutual respect among nations and peoples, the promotion of dialogue and understanding between religions, cultures, and civilizations, and the advancement of global peace and stability — we underscore the declaration’s call for the deployment of a United Nations protection and peacekeeping force in the occupied Palestinian territory until the realization of the two-state solution. Guided by our steadfast dedication to solidarity and cooperation, we remain resolute in confronting the extraordinary challenges of this critical moment through a unified and collective approach,

We convened on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, corresponding to Ramadan 4, 1446, in Cairo, in response to the invitation of His Excellency President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and in coordination with His Majesty King of Bahrain Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, President of the 33rd Ordinary Session at the Summit Level. This extraordinary summit was convened upon the request of the State of Palestine to address the recent grave developments relating to the Palestinian cause,

As we extend our profound respect and appreciation to the Palestinian people for their resilience and unwavering attachment to their land — manifested in the historic return of Gaza’s residents to their homes, particularly in the northern part of the Strip, following the announcement of the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement — we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to implement all previous resolutions of the Council of the League of Arab States at the Summit Level concerning the Palestinian cause,

We, hereby, decide the following:

1. Assert that our strategic choice is the pursuit of a just and comprehensive peace that fully guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people—foremost among them the right to freedom and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state on their national soil in accordance with the two-state solution and the right of return for Palestinian refugees — while ensuring the security of all states and peoples of the region, including Israel, based on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which unequivocally reflects the Arab states’ commitment to resolving all conflicts and disputes to establish peace, coexistence, and constructive cooperation among all countries of the region; and reaffirm our categorical rejection of all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism that seek to undermine security and stability and stand in direct contradiction to human values and principles, and the provisions of international law;
2. Intensify cooperation with international and regional powers, including the United States of America, to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region within the broader framework of resolving all conflicts in the Middle East; reaffirm our readiness to engage immediately with the US administration and all international partners to resume peace negotiations aimed at reaching a just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian cause — based on ending the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the two-state solution and in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to coexist in security and peace alongside Israel; and call for the convening of an international conference aimed at establishing the Palestinian state;
3. Reaffirm the unequivocal Arab position — reiterated on multiple occasions, including in the Bahrain Declaration of May 16, 2024 — of categorical rejection of any form of displacement of the Palestinian people from or within their land, under any pretext, circumstance, or justification, considering such actions a grave violation of international law, a crime against humanity, and a form of ethnic cleansing; condemn the policies of starvation and scorched earth designed to forcibly uproot the Palestinian people from their land; and stress the imperative necessity that Israel, the occupying Power, adheres to relevant international legitimacy resolutions that reject any attempts to alter the demographic composition of the Palestinian territory;
4. Condemn Israel’s recent decision to block entry of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and close border crossings used in relief works; affirm that these measures constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement, international law, and humanitarian international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention; and denounce Israel’s use of siege and subjecting civilians to starvation for political purposes;
5. Warn that any unjust attempts to displace the Palestinian people or annex any part of the occupied Palestinian territory will plunge the region into a new cycle of conflicts, erode prospects for stability, and widen the scope of confrontation to involve other states in the region, and thus posing a direct threat to the foundations of peace in the Middle East, undermining its future, and extinguishing hopes for coexistence among its peoples; and assert the pivotal role and responsibilities shouldered by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Arab Republic of Egypt in confronting the perils of displacement and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause;
6. Endorse the plan presented by the Arab Republic of Egypt — in full coordination with the State of Palestine and Arab countries, and based on studies conducted by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program — regarding early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza as a comprehensive Arab initiative, while mobilizing all forms of financial, material, and political support for its implementation; urge the international community and international and regional financial institutions to swiftly provide the necessary resources; and reaffirm that these efforts must proceed in parallel with the initiation of a political process and a viable pathway toward a just and lasting resolution that fulfils the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state and live in peace and security;
7. Underscore the paramount priority of fully implementing the ceasefire agreement in its second and third phases, while ensuring that all parties, particularly the Israeli side, honour their commitments in a manner that leads to a permanent cessation of aggression against Gaza, Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Strip, including from the Philadelphi Corridor, and the unhindered, immediate, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian, shelter, and medical aid across all areas of the Strip, alongside the facilitation of the safe return of displaced residents to their homes; and acknowledge the constructive role played by the administration of US President Donald Trump, in coordination with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Qatar, in securing the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and detainees, and building upon these efforts by working with the US President to develop a comprehensive implementation plan for the Arab Peace Initiative;
8. Welcome the convening of an international conference in Cairo at the earliest possible date, in coordination with the State of Palestine and the United Nations, to address recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip; urge the international community to participate in this conference for accelerating the rehabilitation efforts following the devastation caused by Israeli aggression; and advocate for the establishment of a trust fund to channel financial commitments from donor countries and financial institutions toward the implementation of recovery and reconstruction projects;
9. Coordinate within the framework of the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee to engage in efforts, including outreach and visits to key international capitals, to present the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, reaffirm the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to remain on their land, and uphold their right to self-determination, while mandating Arab foreign ministers and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States to take swift international action — particularly within the United Nations and with the permanent members of the Security Council, in coordination with the two Arab non-permanent members of the Security Council, Algeria and Somalia, in light of their tangible efforts to support Arab causes in general, and the Palestinian cause in particular — to explore measures to counter any attempts aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause, as well as mobilizing global pressure to compel Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, including those in Syria and Lebanon, through effective coordination via Arab ambassadors’ councils and the League of Arab States’ offices across various capitals;

10.Welcome the Palestinian decision to establish a Gaza Administration Committee under the umbrella of the Palestinian government — comprising qualified individuals from the Strip for a transitional period — alongside efforts to empower the Palestinian National Authority to return to Gaza as a manifestation of the political and geographical unity of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967; express appreciation for the initiative put forth by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Arab Republic of Egypt to train and qualify Palestinian police forces to ensure their full preparedness in maintaining security throughout the Gaza Strip; and reaffirm that security remains an exclusive Palestinian responsibility to be managed solely by legitimate Palestinian institutions, in accordance with the principle of one legitimate law and the principle of the monopoly of the legitimate use of force, with the full backing of the international community;

11.Call upon the Security Council to deploy international peacekeeping forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that would contribute to the achievement of security for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, within the context of enhancing the political vision for the establishment of the Palestinian state;

12. Commend the ongoing efforts of the State of Palestine in the framework of comprehensive reform at all levels, aimed at building resilient and sustainable institutions capable of fulfilling the aspirations of the Palestinian people; support its commitment to holding legislative and presidential elections as soon as conditions permit, and the continued implementation of fundamental reforms through the government program to enhance public services, drive economic progress, empower women and youth, and uphold the rule of law, transparency, and accountability; assert that these reform efforts within both the State of Palestine and the Palestine Liberation Organization constitute essential steps to enable Palestinian national institutions to effectively confront challenges, safeguard the unity of national decision-making, and reinforce the resilience of the Palestinian people in their pursuit of freedom and independence; and underscore the imperative of unifying Palestinian ranks and national factions under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people;

13.Urge the cessation of Israeli aggression in the West Bank, including settlements, apartheid, house demolitions, land confiscation, destruction of infrastructure, military incursions into Palestinian cities, and violations of the sanctity of holy sites; and assert unequivocal rejection and condemnation of any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinians from their camps and cities or to annex any part of the West Bank under any pretext, warning that such actions risk triggering an unprecedented escalation that would exacerbate the volatility and complexity of the regional situation;

14. Call, on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, for de-escalation across the occupied Palestinian territory, including by halting rhetoric and practices that incite hatred and violence, which we strongly condemn; demand access for worshipers to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to freely and safely perform their religious rituals, in full preservation of the legal and historical status quo of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem; stress the necessity of respecting the role of the Jordanian Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Administration, as the sole authority responsible for managing all matters related to AlAqsa Mosque within the framework of the historical Hashemite guardianship over the holy sites; and affirm the roles of the Jerusalem Committee and Bayt Mal Al Quds Acharif Agency;

15.Support the efforts of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the head of the Joint Arab-Islamic Committee on Gaza, alongside the European Union, Spain and Norway; and encourage active participation in the international conference, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France, aimed at resolving the Palestinian issue and implementing the two-state solution, to be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York in June 2025;

16.Reaffirm the vital and indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in fulfilling its mandate as granted by the United Nations Resolution of its establishment, in its five areas of operation, particularly in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip; call on the international community and peace-loving nations to provide political, legal, and financial support to ensure the agency’s continued ability to carry out its humanitarian mission; demand that the United Nations take a firm stance against any attempts to obstruct the work of one of its specialized agencies; reject all measures aimed at diminishing or eliminating the agency’s role, as part of systematic efforts to liquidate the refugee issue and undermine their legitimate right of return; and strongly condemn the two laws passed by the Israeli Knesset in October 2024 to ban UNRWA, an act that represents blatant disregard for the United Nations and the international community as a whole;

17.Call, in cooperation with the United Nations, for the establishment of an international fund to care for the orphans of Gaza, victims of the brutal Israeli aggression, whose number is approximately 40,000 children, and to provide aid and artificial limbs for thousands of the injured, particularly children who have lost their limbs; and encourage countries and organizations to launch initiatives aimed at addressing these humanitarian needs, akin to the Jordanian “Restoring Hope” initiative, which supports amputees in the Gaza Strip;

18.Urge nations to commit to implementing the two advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice and its orders regarding the crimes of Israel, the occupying Power, while stressing the necessity of prosecuting all those responsible for the grave violations and crimes committed against the Palestinian people through international and national justice mechanisms; stress that these crimes are not subject to a statute of limitations; and hold Israel legally and materially accountable for its crimes in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory;

19.Task a legal committee from the Arab states that are parties to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide with examining how the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land, their expulsion, forcible transfer, ethnic cleansing, and deportation outside the occupied Palestinian territory — along with the creation of expulsive living conditions through widespread destruction, collective punishment, starvation, and the prevention of food and relief supplies — constitute acts of genocide under international law;

20.Reassert the necessity of fully implementing the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, in accordance with all its provisions, and of adhering to Security Council Resolution 1701; condemn the Israeli violations of this resolution and the ceasefire agreement; demand Israel’s full withdrawal from Lebanon to the internationally recognized borders, its handover of prisoners arrested in the recent war, and its commitment to the provisions of the 1949 Lebanon-Israel truce; and affirm support for the Lebanese Republic, its security, stability, and sovereignty;

21.Condemn the Israeli attacks on the Syrian Arab Republic and the incursion into its territory, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law, an aggression against Syria’s sovereignty, and a serious escalation that increases tension and conflict; call upon the international community and the Security Council to take immediate action to enforce international law and compel Israel to cease its aggression and withdraw from the Syrian territories it occupies in clear violation of the 1974 Armistice Agreement; and assert that the Golan Heights is occupied Syrian territory, rejecting Israel’s decision to annex it and impose its sovereignty over it;

22.Task the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States with following up on the implementation of the summit communiqué and submitting a report on the progress and outcomes to the Arab Summit in its coming 34th session;

23. Express gratitude to the Arab Republic of Egypt for hosting this emergency summit.