Desk Report:
US President Donald Trump met with leaders of the Arab and Muslim world on Tuesday local time on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting discussed ways to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Trump repeatedly called it his “most important meeting.”
Citing local and international media, the Israeli media outlet The Times of Israel reported that Trump told reporters at the beginning of the meeting, “We want to end the war in Gaza. We will end it. Maybe we can end it now.” He added, “This is my most important meeting. Because we are going to end something that should never have started.”
The leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan were present at the meeting. Trump said that “all the big players were there, except Israel.” But that will be the next step.’ He indicated that he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week.
Trump also praised Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s speech at the United Nations, in which Subianto said that ensuring Israel’s security is also essential for establishing peace.
After the meeting, Trump waved to reporters but did not comment on the meeting. There was no immediate statement from the White House. However, when asked how the meeting went, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff gave him a positive ‘thumbs-up’ gesture.
Trump and Witkoff were expected to unveil the US plan for dealing with the post-war situation in Gaza at the meeting. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been preparing this plan for several months. Last week, the Israeli media outlet The Times of Israel published some information about the plan.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the meeting as “very productive.” NATO member Turkey has strongly criticized Israel’s offensive in Gaza. Erdogan, a key supporter of Hamas, has accused Israel of committing genocide. Israel has flatly denied the accusations. Turkey has halted all trade with Israel, called for international action and demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Erdogan told reporters that a joint statement would be issued after the meeting. He said he was “satisfied” with the outcome of the meeting, but did not provide details.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates’ state news agency WAM reported that the meeting emphasized ending the ongoing fighting in Gaza and ensuring a permanent ceasefire. In addition, the release of all hostages and addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in the war-torn region were among the priorities of the discussions.
