United Nations and Arab League Must Bow Out
Gaza War Proves Impotence of Political and Humanitarian Leadership
Jan 16, 2009
There is no doubt that Israel’s image has profoundly taken a beating in the 3 weeks of massacres in Gaza, wrecking with it any vestiges of official Western decency. It will take a virtual miracle to stop the tsunami of anti-American sentiment sweeping the Arab and Muslim worlds today. As for the United Nations, any hope of salvaging a shred of credibility has been long buried with the hundreds of Palestinian children burned to death -in accordance with international law- by Israel in Gaza.
After another drastic blow by the Israeli army January 15, 2009, UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s response was sadly predictable -and pathetic. He threw in another “condemnation” of Israel, requested one more “investigation”, and regurgitated the humdrum Israeli line “mistake.” Other than halting all humanitarian aid activities, no practical steps have been taken to stop the aggression; instead, continued threats to aid agencies have only exacerbated the misery of innocent civilians.
What this war has also done is expose the deep divide that separates the 320 million Arabs from their "representative" leadership. If Israel’s image has taken a beating, that of Arab leaders has taken a bludgeoning. The massacre of innocent civilians in Gaza has shaken the Arab world to the core, and the helpless paralysis and mad scrambling of the tired, timeworn Arab regimes in the face of the onslaught is the straw that has finally broken the camel’s back.
As we speak, in air-conditioned, five-star Arabian Gulf conference rooms, Arab leaders offer unconvincing farcical performances in the unfolding Palestinian tragedy.
Three Arab Summits!
Not surprisingly, no quorum was met to hold the emergency Arab League summit in Qatar, but some Arab leaders -regarded as the pro Hamas camp- and representatives of Hamas did meet January 16, 2009, in Doha. Speeches were given, condemnations made, and resolutions recommended calling for a ceasefire and a suspension of ties with Israel. Succumbing to popular pressure, Qatar -who has an Israeli trade office- and Mauritania announced after the meeting that they were freezing relations with Israel. (Qatar has the largest US naval base in the Middle East.) The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah condemned not Israel, but Qatar for “crossing the line” by giving Hamas a platform in the meeting.
While this summit was played out in Qatar, another meeting of Arab foreign ministers was “performed” in Kuwait, which came up with similar condemnations and recommendations by different actors. The highlight, though, was the suggestion to change the title of the economic forum to be held in Kuwait January 18, 2009, to a “Solidarity Summit with the Palestinian People in Gaza.” This will undoubtedly be welcomed by Palestinian mothers hiding in UN shelters targeted by Israeli bombardment. Another award-winning outcome was the establishment of an aid and reconstruction fund for Gaza -to be administered by the Palestinian Authority, so those same mothers can rest assured that once Gaza was completely blown to smithereens, their Arab friends will be there to rebuild it.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia -bargaining on the "fall" of Iranian influence in the region- called for an emergency summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to address the war on Gaza. All six GCC member states (UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia) will attend -and condemn.
Popular Response
Thousands are marching in the streets of Arab capitals, denouncing Israel and its US and European allies. Many Arab regimes have also been receiving the brunt of a huge public backlash, especially Egypt. It has the unique position of having diplomatic ties with Israel and at the same an open channel with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, positioning it as the lead negotiator in the anticipated ceasefire agreement. Its regime is highly criticized for complicity with Israel, particularly in the light of its compliance with the blockade that has imprisoned and starved innocent Palestinians for 19 months, as well as the controversial visit of the Israeli foreign minister to Cairo two days prior to the war.
The Jordanian leadership has so far succeeded in absorbing popular anger. The regime has been very critical of the Israeli operation, repeatedly calling for negotiations to address the larger issue of the occupation, which most Arab leaders have failed to address. It has consistently warned of the unfolding conspiracy against Palestinian aspirations for statehood. But diplomatic ties with Israel have not been severed, although Jordan’s ambassador to Tel Aviv has been asked to stay in Jordan on extended leave.
Arab public demands include cutting ties and freezing all forms of normalization with Israel, enforcing an economic, cultural, and academic boycott. They insist there will be no peace until Israel is ready to stop "beating around the bush". There is no wheel to invent. Israel, with its settlements and wall, has to withdraw from the Occupied Territories and Gaza. Palestinian refugees must return to their homes. Until these conditions are met, resistance in all its forms is the only viable formula.
Venezuela and Bolivia’s expulsions of the Israeli ambassadors were hailed by the Arab world. Kuwaiti MPs even requested that the headquarters of the Arab League be moved from Cairo to Caracas because, in the words of one MP, Chavez “has proved that he was more Arab than some Arabs.”
As Operation Cast Lead -aka Palestinian Holocaust- enters its 21st day, the credibility of the UN and the Arab league has been shattered beyond repair. Their empty rhetoric is proof beyond reasonable doubt that “they can’t”, and it is time to bow out.
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