Apart from expressing solidarity with the Palestinian public and inflammatory statements against Israel over the war in Gaza, the Arab states have once again proven that their support for the Palestinians is not a blank check.
Gasoline trucks en route to the Gaza Strip from Egypt. Social Networks
Their declarations of support for the Palestinian cause stop when it comes to national security considerations. Egypt and Jordan are prime examples. As there was more talk of settling Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip in their territory, the leaders of both countries made sure to draw a clear red line, making it clear to Israel and the United States that this was a bad idea and should be removed from the agenda.
Residents of Gaza whose homes were bombed were appalled by the Arab countries' disregard. In videos posted on social media, they expressed frustration and anger that the Arabs "are not mobilizing to save them and are abandoning them alone in the battle." Some even cursed their Arab brethren. In Gaza and beyond, Palestinian activists expressed disappointment with the position of most Arab countries on the war, calling on them to choose sides. "Where are you? Don't you see our suffering? The Arabs betrayed us again," they said.
Arab countries ignore videos of demolitions in Gaza, Photo: AP
Egypt and Jordan refused to accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza on the pretext that they did not want to be partners in carrying out a "second Nakba." The argument they made was that the expulsion of the Palestinians from their lands should not be allowed and thus help Israel eliminate the Palestinian issue.
This message resonated well, but statements are separate from reality. Anyone with eyes in their head could understand that the fear was different, and was mainly related to the interests of each and every country. Some see the Palestinians as a serious threat to their regime and national security. That is why they simply choose to absolve themselves of responsibility and let the world break its head with the "Palestinian problem."
More trouble
Egypt fears massive waves of Palestinian immigration to their country, and perceives the Palestinian presence as a factor liable to undermine governmental stability and a burden on the faltering economy. As Cairo fights terrorism in Sinai and radical Islam, it needs no more trouble.
Jordan's King Abdullah also has his own problems. Given that most of the kingdom's inhabitants are Palestinians, he does not want to legitimize the idea that "Jordan is Palestine." As far as he is concerned, it will be killed, and anyone who thinks that the kingdom can be replaced by "the state of Palestine" should think again.
He has his own problems, Jordan's King Abdullah at the political summit in Cairo. , Photo: AFP
Some Arab countries (with the exception of Jordan) are not even willing to grant citizenship to Palestinians on their territory, and they continue to suffer institutionalized discrimination and oppression in many areas of life. The situation is particularly bad in Lebanon, where several hundred thousand Palestinians live in some 12 refugee camps, which serve as fertile ground for terror and anarchy. The Lebanese impose severe restrictions on them, such as a prohibition on engaging in free professions or acquiring property. Even in the Kingdom of Jordan, Palestinians testify that they do not feel full citizens with equal rights.
Relations between the Palestinians and Arab states have always been complex and have known ups and downs. They flourished at certain times during the 60s, 70s, 80s, when the PLO and its thousands of members were hosted in several countries. Sympathy for the Palestinians united the Arabs some of the time, and the Palestinian story became an issue for all Arabs, not just Ashp himself.
Challenge
The countries of the region, especially those in the Gulf, have poured billions into Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians. Some will say that not only out of sympathy and identification but out of fear, "silence fees" were paid so that they would not carry out attacks and cause escalation.
The first rift between the Palestinians and their Arab brethren broke out in the early 70s when the Jordanians expelled Yasser Arafat from the kingdom and eliminated thousands of Palestinian militia operatives and terrorists, in what goes down in history as Black September. Not only did Arafat and activists of the Palestinian organizations use the kingdom's lands to carry out attacks against Israel, they tried to establish a state within a state and challenged the king's rule.
Ashpat's next stop was Lebanon. This time, too, Arafat strove to establish a state within a state in an attempt to turn himself into a de facto ruler and gain political and military power. He violated Lebanon's sovereignty and used its territory to carry out his terror project against Israel. Residents of the country did not exactly shed a tear over his departure, and there were even those who thanked the IDF and Israel for bringing about Ashpat's departure from their country.
Living in the shadow of worry
With American mediation, during the First Lebanon War, Arafat and his men left Lebanon and settled in a number of Arab countries, including Tunisia. During this period, the Palestinians also became entangled with Syria. The deterioration reached its peak in 1985 when Syrian President Hafez al-Assad ordered Arafat's expulsion from Damascus airport and declared him persona non grata. Even the elder Assad did not want the Palestinian leader in his territory.
"Persona non grata", Arafat, photo: Reuters
The significant turnaround occurred after Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait in 1990. To the surprise of the Kuwaitis, the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who stayed and made a living in the country and received economic and political support from it rushed to celebrate the Iraqi invasion, and Arafat was the first Arab leader to travel to Baghdad to welcome the occupation of Kuwait. This was the reason for the cessation of financial aid to the PLO and the breaking of trust between some Arab countries and their Palestinian brethren. "Traitors, ungrateful, corrupt leadership," they were slammed.
The Arab states, especially those that share a border with Israel, have not forgotten history, and their leaders live in the shadow of constant concern that the Palestinians are trying to drag them into a confrontation with Israel. There is empathy for the Palestinians, but its credit is not unlimited.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us