Ashraf AboArafe
MR.Nabil Fahmy, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, met on Sunday, September 20, 2026, with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in New York, at the outset of Fahmy’s participation in the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The dangerous escalation gripping the region dominated the discussions. Fahmy reviewed its repercussions for the security and stability of the Arab region, as well as for international maritime navigation, energy security, and global trade.
The Secretary-General reaffirmed the League of Arab States’ solidarity with its member states in safeguarding their security, sovereignty, and vital infrastructure, stressing that freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea is an established principle of international law that must not be compromised under any pretext.
The two sides agreed that containing the escalation requires serious international action that addresses its underlying causes rather than merely managing its consequences.
The meeting also addressed developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, foremost among them the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and the escalating Israeli violations in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.
Fahmy stressed the necessity of ensuring Israel’s compliance with international law and international humanitarian law, emphasizing that the broad international recognition of the State of Palestine must now be translated into concrete steps leading to an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He further affirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory, rejecting any arrangements aimed at separating Gaza from the West Bank.
The two sides also reviewed developments in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Libya, as well as the grave situation in Sudan, which threatens to deepen the country’s humanitarian crisis.
They renewed their call for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of safe humanitarian corridors to facilitate the delivery of aid, alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, and prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
Fahmy and Guterres also welcomed the strong partnership between the United Nations and the League of Arab States, describing it as a model of cooperation between international and regional organizations.
They underscored the importance of sustaining effective coordination between the two organizations across regional and international issues, in support of peace, stability, and security in the Arab region and beyond.
