Baghdad Summit: Arab League head denounces Houthis

Shafaq News/ Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit delivered a stark warning during the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad on Saturday, condemning armed factions and foreign policies that continue to destabilize the region—from Yemen and Syria to Palestine and Lebanon.

In his address, Aboul Gheit singled out Yemen’s Houthi group (Ansarallah) for exacerbating the country’s prolonged conflict and humanitarian collapse. “They are dragging Yemen into confrontation and devastation,” he said, describing the crisis as having reached “unimaginable levels.” He stressed that “there will be no real stability in Yemen unless the Houthis abandon violence and illegitimate power grabs,” and called for renewed diplomatic engagement to end the war.

Regarding Syria, Aboul Gheit voiced strong support for the lifting of US sanctions, arguing that it would create space for economic recovery and reintegration. “The lifting of US sanctions will help create a new economic reality inside Syria, and we will stand with Syria and its people,” he affirmed.

On Lebanon, he highlighted what he described as a “historic challenge,” urging that all weapons be placed under the control of the state.

Addressing the ongoing war in Gaza, Aboul Gheit called the situation in Palestine “the deepest wound for the Arab world.” He condemned Israel’s “reckless and aggressive policies” in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, warning that such actions “will only ignite further conflict and keep the region trapped in an endless cycle of confrontation.”

“The world remains silent in the face of the daily killing of women, children, and civilians,” he said, denouncing what he called an expansionist policy masked as a security doctrine.