As volatile protest in Arab countries, other Muslim nations and all over the world continues and Palestinian youths are clashing with Israeli forces denouncing US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel and his instruction to move embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Arab League foreign ministers at an emergency meeting in Cairo on Sunday condemned it as ‘dangerous’ and ‘void’ as violation of international law and all earlier UN decisions. But they ended the meeting without a clear decision although Lebanon foreign minister tabled a resolution calling for Arab states to impose economic sanction on the USA.
What makes many wonder is that in Arab League’s meeting none but
Lebanon’s foreign minister has tabled the proposal for economic sanction against the USA even though he represents a small and weak country. Why countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt or UAE are not taking the leadership to forge the unity and put challenge to Mr Trump’s action.
Nonetheless, his proposal makes sense highlighting the urgency of the moment when he said Arab nations must take pre-emptive measures — beginning with diplomatic measures, then political, then economic and financial sanctions.
We know the OIC is also meting in Turkish city of Istanbul to discuss the situation and its impact on Palestinian peace process. In fact the entire world is voicing sharp reaction against Mr Trump’s decision coming out shameless against Palestinian by Middle East Muslim countries. They are squandering away petro dollars mostly on casinos and other filthy habits. They make expensive gifts to Western leaders but they are not aware they are treated meanly without dignity and importance while treating Palestinian Muslims inhumanly.
We know that some Arab countries are playing double standard publicly criticizing the US President but lending support from the back to his plan, which they knew in advance. What is highly slanderous is that they are siding with the US policy to win its support against Iran, which they take now bigger enemy than Israel. They need US and Israel’s support to face challenge coming from Iran in the region. But what is quite unjustified is that they can’t take Shia-Sunni rift in the region to decide the fate of Palestinian people as part of a deal to win US support in regional conflict, as several international media said.
It is no secret that King Faisal of Saudi Arabia had imposed embargo on oil export to the USA during Arab-Israel war in 1967 and it was an effective weapon to force the USA to stop Israeli aggression. Arabs and Muslim countries have power to be reckoned with if put together. They have oil, money and other resources to make the USA realize that it can’t pursue policies, which are inimical to the Muslims and go away without being challenged.
The Muslim rulers in Arab countries must know that their lavish and indulgent life have been no help for the Muslims to be treated seriously and honourably. Unless we as Muslims can earn a position of respectability and show strength through unity, the Muslims everywhere are easy targets of torture and humiliation blaming Muslims as terrorists.
The government of the Muslim countries must have acquire self-respect and they can achieve it rising to the occasion to defend the interest of the Muslims. They must seize upon the world opinion to put to failure Mr Trump’s greater Israel policy; which betrays humanity.
