Cairo Summit Concluded Without a Joint Declaration

Arab leaders at a Cairo Peace Summit condemned Israeli bombardment of Gaza as representatives from Western countries said civilians should be shielded, but the absence of Israel and senior U.S. officials at the meeting undermined prospects of preventing ongoing conflict from escalating. The United States, Israel's closest ally and a vital player in past peace efforts in the region, only sent the charge d'affaires of its Cairo embassy and Israel was entirely absent. As participants disagreed on an acceptable language, there was no joint summit declaration. Said Sadek, Professor of political sociology at Egypt’s Japan University spoke with VOA’s Mohamed Elshinnawi about the Cairo Summit.