While we should commend Egypt and President Hosni Mubarak for
his decision to recall his Ambassador from Tel Aviv Mr. Mohammed
Bassiouni to protest the latest savagery by Israel (the only true
rogue state) upon the Palestinian camps and security buildings, in
reality this is a case of "too little too late".
One can only contemplate how many Palestinian children would
still be alive today to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan if
Egypt, Jordan, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic
Conference had any real courage and took strong measures against
Israel at the beginning of the conflict.
Their delay and weakness only emboldened Israel to continue to
lay waste to an Arab and Muslim population while the Islamic world
watched in silence and apathy. In our apathetic responses that
promote "civilized" dialogue and the continuation of a
failed "peace process", the Arab League and Islamic
Conference are just as guilty as the Israeli sharpshooters who
aimed at the hearts and heads of fearless Palestinian children
willing to die for their land.
None of our fearless leaders were even willing to sacrifice
their "diplomatic" relations with Israel lest they upset
Clinton. They waited too long and have nothing to show for it
except more Palestinian funerals.
How ironic that the Arabs and Muslims are reacting to Israel's
atrocities in the same fashions the West reacted to the Nazi
Holocaust.
Egypt must take the bold leadership and sever its diplomatic
relation with Israel. Barak, like previous Israeli Prime
Ministers, has deceived Mubarak with talk of peace and American
rewards.
Mubarak, like the hapless Arafat, enjoyed and believed America's
psychological strokes that he is a true friend and promoter of
peace. For $2.2 Billion in annual American aid, Egypt, the
recognized military, social and cultural leader of the Arab world
sacrificed its faith, dignity, honor, and the will of its people.
Is this American aid worth it in the end when America sends
Israel even greater aid to slaughter Palestinians and divide and
conquer the Arab world while allowing the desecration of our holy
Islamic sites? No reasonable person could answer that in the
affirmative. No billions can compensate a mother for the loss of
her child or the loss of her husband killed in the olive fields.
Saudi Arabia and the Gulf must develop an immediate fund to
compensate the Arab countries for any losses incurred from
severing ties with the Zionist state. HRH Prince Abdullah of Saudi
Arabia demanded that Arabs cut relations with Israel, now its time
for he and the Gulf leaders to financially support such steps.
How embarrassing that the Emir of Bahrain would boycott the OIC
meeting in Qatar over a border dispute with Qatar when Muslim
children are being massacred. It is high time for the Arab and
Islamic leaders to put up or shut up.
President Mubarak, with all due respect, nothing short of
cutting your relations with Israel, recalling your Ambassador from
Washington DC, refusing the cheapening of American aid, and
leading the Arab world in one cry for peace and justice based on
the only solution before Israel: UN Resolutions 242, 338, 476, and
478.
Jordan must follow suit and cut its relations as well. Jordan's
King has hurt himself politically by shooting at his protesting
citizens and bending to America's will to sign a Free Trade
Agreement that now may not even pass Congress.
All Arab and Islamic countries must recall their Ambassadors
from the U.S. and England for consultation.
President Mubarak was further embarrassed by Israel's arrogant
and defiant response to the recalling of Egypt's Ambassador.
Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami told Israeli Radio: "It is a
very serious issue. I think that recalling the ambassador will
hurt Egypts ability to continue to fill the very important role
it has in the process here."
A veiled threat that the only reason the United States values
Egypt and gives it annual aid is that it's fulfilling a purpose in
the peace process, i.e. helping Israel achieve its agenda. It
won't be long before America's Congress, another Israeli occupied
territory, will begin to salivate and take some retribution
against Egypt.
This is the most opportune time in modern history for the Arab
and Islamic world to take decisive actions against Israel. The
sympathy of the world is with the Palestinians while America is
paralyzed with a lameduck President and an unsolved election. This
is the time for a cohesive strategy among the 56 Islamic nations
to take political, diplomatic, economic and public relations steps
against Israel.
A second piece of that strategy is to clearly and publicly
declare that all Islamic nations will begin to reassess their
long-term relationship with the United States and the West.
Arafat is committing yet another strategic mistake by involving
Russia in a mediation role to bring him and Barak to the
negotiating table to end this Intifada. Arafats poor snub of
Clinton and his willingness to meet with Barak will only mean
dragging the dead peace process further into the grave without any
semblance of a definitive outcome favorable to the Palestinians.
Arafat is once again sacrificing the will of his people and
their hundreds of martyrs for no objective or possible end of the
occupation based on UN Resolution 242. Arafat has never understood
that no nation will sacrifice its relationship with America for
the sake of the Palestinians, not even the Arab and Islamic
countries are willing to do this, much less economically poor
Russia.
He (Arafat) is squandering the best opportunity the Palestinians
have ever had when a confluence of political circumstances is
favorable to their cause.
Barak is desperate to end this conflict and project a peace
process favorable to his reelection, Clinton is weak and maybe
desperate for a bold initiative, the Palestinians are dying for
the sake of their total independence and willing to continue the
Intifada.
The masses of Arab and Islamic nations are finally and
passionately supportive of the Intifada pressuring their leaders
to act, the European Union desires to formulate its own identity
separate from American and is willing to play an active role, the
U.N. may see this conflict as an opportunity to assert itself free
from Americas hegemony, the African and Non-Aligned Nations are
supportive, the Vatican and Christian leadership is supportive,
and even the American public from the little media coverage it
sees is beginning to question Israels savagery.
The time now is for unity of purpose based on UN Resolutions, a
massive diplomatic and public relations by all 56 Islamic nations,
and a relentless Intifada until Palestinians achieve their
independence, their state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
An important yet difficult caveat is that all 56 nations must
put aside for now any inter-Arab or inter-Islamic disputes. Most
importantly Arab leaders must convince Saddam Hussein, easier said
than done, that a stumbling block preventing any successful
strategy against the U.S. is his non-compliance with UN
Resolutions.
Saddam's lack of cooperation is a bonanza for the United States
in that it gets to maintain its huge military presence in the Gulf
under the pretext of protecting the Emirs from Saddam providing
the West with an enormous public relations advantage in the U.S
and in the United Nations.
Saddam withstood America but he must sacrifice for the common
good of the Arab world and Islam and join the Ummah in its stand
against Israeli aggression. Palestine is the direct foundation for
the conflict with Israel but the larger issue is Arab lands,
self-respect, honor, dignity, and most importantly, a defense of
our faith required of all of us by Allah (SWT).
The Islamic masses will totally support their leaders in this
effort. The question is as always: Do they have the courage and
leadership to tell the world collectively that---Since 1979 Egypt
has sacrificed its own standing in the Arab world for peace with
Israel-----Since 1991 the PLO entered into a peace dialogue with
Israel and after ten years of lies and delays Israel is determined
to implement its "Final Solution" upon the Palestinians
for Zionistic principles adhered to by 200,000 fanatical American
Jewish settlers----Since 1994, Jordan entered into a peace
agreement with Israel and so far has nothing to show for
it-----Qatar, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunis, Algeria, and Oman
established diplomatic relations with Israel and have nothing to
show for it but empty promises------The Palestinians have agreed
to surrender 80% of their original land to Israel and accept West
Jerusalem as its capital in return they were led to believe that
Israel would withdraw to the 1967 border based on UN Resolution
242, 338.
Israel, as Shamir said in Oslo after signing the accords,
"we screwed the Palestinians", never had any intention
of living up to its signed commitments in the Oslo accord as time
has clearly shown.
Now the world must know that 56 Arab and Islamic nations have no
choice but to demand the implementation of these resolutions and
to demand protection for the Palestinian civilians from Israel's
free hand to kill at will otherwise this Ummah will have no choice
but to look at alternatives to deal with Israel and any of its
supporters worldwide.
Contingency political, economic, and military plans must be
developed as Israel historically has shown it has no qualms at
launching pre-emptive strikes.
A strong public relations campaign not only within the West but
also with specific countries worldwide whom now, and in the
future, can play a stronger role in supporting the Palestinian
cause. Countries such as China, India, Japan, South Africa,
Nigeria, Ireland, the Vatican, the Eastern and Greek Orthodox
Churches, Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary (the last 3 are
future NATO members), friendly European countries such as Italy
and Spain, and the forgotten Latin American community with their
huge immigration presence in the United States.
In the U.S., we must reach out to the minority community in
earnest such as the African American, Latin, and Asian communities
to develop bonds and a support system.
Many may think this is a utopian untenable idea but I repeat
that, despite the horrific deaths of Palestinians, this is a
golden opportunity to show strength, unity, and resolve. America
and the world accept Israel's yes or no decisions as final and
unalterable. They look at Arab and Islamic decisions with
contemptible ignorance and arrogance.
If we don't act now when Al-Aqsa is being stepped upon by
Sharon, if we don't act now when Israel daily kills innocent
Palestinians, if we don't act now when America is distracted, if we
don't act now when winter is coming in the West and the price of oil
becomes a political issue, if we don't act now when its our Arab and
Islamic duty to do so--then when--when Mecca is attacked?
Arab and Islamic countries have broken diplomatic relations with
each other at the drop of a hat and for the least important of
reasons, isn't it honorable to do it now when a much greater fate
is at stake? May Allah (SWT) guide us and show His mercy upon His
people of faith.
May He unite us to defend our faith, lands, and honor and may He
grant our peoples and their leaders to wisdom and action. Islam is
the key and we must never dismiss it to appease the West or
sacrifice it for the sake of modernity.
Allah Akbar and Ramadan Mubarak to all.
