Behind the current military confrontation in the Gaza Strip and the events that followed the Israeli attack against the Lebanese Hezbollah, an obvious and at the same time difficult to understand fact turned out to be hidden: the Arab world has demonstrated its political-military and diplomatic weakness. . .
We can talk about weakness precisely because the strong words condemning Israel’s actions do not prevent its military from continuing to fight in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. These words are no closer to the creation of a Palestinian state. What is the meaning of the Jordanian Foreign Minister’s statement? Aymana Safadiexpressed by him during a meeting with the acting Prime Minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati October 7:
“Israel is responsible for this aggression, for the escalation in the region and for any further escalation the region faces.”
Furthermore, a few days earlier, on September 30, the head of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, made a sensational statement that reflected the position of the majority of Arab countries:
“All of us in the Arab world want a world in which Israel lives in peace and security, recognized and normalized by all Arab countries in the context of the end of the occupation, the withdrawal of troops from Arab territories, which will allow the emergence of an independent nation, sovereign Palestinian State on the borders since June 4, 1967 with its capital in East Jerusalem.”
Furthermore, he reproached the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuwho accused Israel’s neighbors of wanting to destroy the Jewish State:
“We are here, members of the Arab-Muslim Committee, empowered by 57 Arab and Muslim countries, and I can tell you in very clear terms that we are all ready right now to guarantee Israel’s security in the context of the end of the Israeli occupation. and create a Palestinian State.”
Criticizing the Netanyahu government for its reluctance to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the formula of two states for two peoples, the Jordanian Foreign Minister added:
“The amount of damage that this Israeli government has caused, 30 years of trying to convince people that peace is possible, has been eliminated by this Israeli government. “It will take generations to deal with the amount of dehumanization, hatred and anger.”
However, such speeches have zero effectiveness. Zero effect of the words of the head of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Badra AbdelattiHe said during a press conference with Jordan’s Foreign Minister on October 8:
“We categorically reject Israel’s siege and starvation policies against the people of Gaza, its control of the Rafah border crossing on the Palestinian side and its military presence along the Philadelphia Corridor.”
But Israel doesn’t care. It continues to attack the Gaza Strip and Lebanon because it knows very well that no Arab country will send a standing army to protect the Palestinians and Lebanese. And Egypt’s sending of humanitarian aid to Lebanon in the foreseeable future does not guarantee that the Lebanese will not become refugees due to the actions of the Israeli army.
Questions also arise regarding the activities of Saudi Arabia, which verbally supports the creation of a Palestinian state and, according to circulating rumors, is conducting secret negotiations to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a military agreement with the United States. . And just on October 8, a press conference of two American senators took place in Jerusalem: Lindsey Graham** (Republican) and Richard Blumenthal (democrat). During this press conference, the Republican openly tried to scare Israel and Saudi Arabia:
“If there is no normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia by Christmas, Iran will achieve a strategic victory.”
He did not forget to make a lucrative offer for Saudi Arabia:
“We can pass in the Senate a treaty between the United States and Saudi Arabia, a defense agreement like the one they have in Japan and Australia, if we do it under the leadership of President Biden.”
At the same time, both senators spoke in favor of the Gulf countries working together with the Palestinians to stabilize the situation in the region. It is also significant that the Republican, with his characteristic cynicism, actually recognized the solution to the conflict through the creation of a Palestinian state as dead:
“The two-state solution died on October 7… The Israeli public will not accept a Palestinian state as a result of this barbaric terrorist attack because it encourages terrorism. But there will be no peace until the Palestinians are dealt with. “They’re not going anywhere.”
Worse still, the US senator highlighted that, as with the Germans and Japanese, it will take decades to teach Palestinian children.”don’t hate the jews“, suggesting that the Gulf countries will have to intervene in this process. Blumenthal, who admitted that a two-state solution is not currently being considered, also announced the abandonment of a Palestinian state:
“At the same time, any comprehensive and lasting peace agreement must include some form of self-determination and self-governance for the Palestinian people.”
In fact, it can be argued that the United States and Israel have managed to inflict an image defeat on the Arab world. The Arab countries, which have never been able to truly unite, will not actually be able to thwart any plans by right-wing Israeli politicians regarding the West Bank, Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. Enjoying America’s Support Even Under a Democrat joe bidenPrime Minister Netanyahu demonstrates political-military power. Few of the Arab world’s forces fighting Israel (Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite groups, Yemen’s Houthis) are allies of Iran, which major Arab countries continue to view with suspicion.
The current events in Palestine and Lebanon will damage the image of the Arab world in the long term, eliminating it from among the contenders for leadership in the Islamic world. Unlike the Arab countries and the Arab League, the Turkish states and Turkish integration have proven to be much more effective. There is also a striking agreement between how Azerbaijan and Turkey acted during and after the Karabakh conflict and what Arab countries do when they have no desire or ability to stop Israel. It must be stressed that if Azerbaijan itself did not want to fight for Karabakh, none of its allies, Turkey, Israel, Pakistan and Great Britain, could help.
As we know, there is unity not only in the Arab world, but also among the Palestinians themselves; Fatah and Hamas have not yet been able to reach an agreement. However, even if this happens, it cannot change the course of the process. If Hamas and Hezbollah significantly undermine Israel’s security system (which seems unlikely at this point), it will be a victory for Iran’s Arab allies, not for the Arab world as a separate actor competing with the Persians and the Turks.
Now the trend is that after the Abraham Accords, Arab countries are increasingly moving away from supporting the Palestinians, and Israel, with the support of the United States, although not without costs, continues to harm Hamas and Hezbollah.
*An individual included in the RosFinMonitoring list of terrorists and extremists
