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Leaders head to Algeria for first Arab League summit in two years
Al JazeeraNov 22, 2022
The Facts
Leaders from across the Arab world met in Algeria on Tuesday for the 31st summit of the Arab League as the region battles to find common ground over a series of divisive issues amid rising inflation, energy and food shortages, and drought.
The Palestinian cause, relations with Turkey and Iran, normalization with the Syrian government, and tensions between Algeria and Morocco are all expected to be on the agenda for the first summit since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic.
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
This Arab Summit is a great opportunity to put the Palestinian cause on center stage for the Arab world. Though some countries in the region seek to serve their own interests by normalizing with Israel, the Palestinian cause is the fundamental objective of the Arab people, and it will continue to play an essential role in the hearts and minds of Arabs across the region. The summit might not deter normalization, but at least the Arab world may be more united in confronting Israel.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though the Arab League's summit may give Algeria some extra points within the Arab world, it will change little regarding the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Normalization is a reality that countries like Algeria and Syria cannot stand up against. Political unity among the governments of the Arab world simply doesn't exist, and this summit will likely not change that.
