Tuesday marks the first summit of Arab leaders following a series of normalization agreements with Israel that have polarised the region. They gather in Algiers, the capital city of Algeria.
Several of the 22-member bloc’s members have normalized relations with the Jewish state since the previous Arab League summit in 2019, which was for years a platform for vehement pledges of support for the Palestinian cause.
In a historic agreement negotiated by the US, the United Arab Emirates took the lead and became the third Arab state, following Egypt and Jordan, to forge full diplomatic ties with Israel.
The UAE’s action triggered similar agreements with Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan as well as a provisional deal with Sudan, intensifying Morocco’s long-standing rivalry with Algeria, its neighbour.
The place where the conference will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday is still a staunch ally of the Palestinians, even helping to broker a truce between Fatah and Hamas in October.
Although few think the agreement will stand the test of time, Algeria, which has been looking to gain more regional influence as a result of its burgeoning position as a gas exporter, saw it as a PR victory.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will have another opportunity to achieve that during this week’s conference.
The UAE’s action triggered similar agreements with Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan as well as a provisional deal with Sudan, intensifying Morocco’s long-standing rivalry with Algeria, its neighbour.
The place where the conference will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday is still a staunch ally of the Palestinians, even helping to broker a truce between Fatah and Hamas in October.
Although few think the agreement will stand the test of time, Algeria, which has been looking to gain more regional influence due to its burgeoning position as a gas exporter, saw it as a PR victory.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will have another opportunity to achieve that during this week’s conference.
