Responsible resistance

Coordination is the key, and that applies to resistance operations as much as anything else, writes Ibrahim Nafie

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As Israel continues its war against Lebanon and the Palestinians, the UN Security Council has failed to come up with a resolution demanding an end to the aggression. This being the case, the Arabs need to get involved in the crisis, their position based on a clear assessment of the situation.

We need to distinguish between legitimate resistance and military actions that are harmful adventures. Acts of resistance must be coordinated and well-timed. Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have already said so. The three countries have voiced their support for legitimate resistance, noting that it is a right enshrined in international law. But resistance operations must be managed and timed in a way that leads to the liberation of land and prisoners.

Resistance groups must coordinate with other political organisations in their countries, as well as with their governments. No faction has the right to engage in a military act that may trigger a catastrophe for the country involved. In the absence of such coordination it is unfair to accuse Arab governments of failing to live up to their responsibilities. Arab governments cannot stand unquestioningly by the resistance in the absence of any coordination. We need to support the resistance, but we can only do so within the existing regional and international context.

Following Hizbullah's recent operation, in which it managed to kill seven Israeli soldiers and capture two, the Israeli government decided to attack Lebanon. Israel was at the time reeling from a similar operation in the south and wanted to prove to its public that it hasn't lost its deterrent power, which may explain the ferociousness of Israel's reaction.

Hizbullah captured two soldiers and then demanded a prisoner swap, but its timing was curious to say the least. It acted at a time when the Israeli army was already overreacting in Gaza, and conducted the operation without prior consultation with the Lebanese government.

The operation occurred just as Iran needed to divert attention from its own crisis with the West. Everyone in Lebanon was taken by surprise, and the country was ill-prepared for the all-out Israeli attack that resulted. Israel has bombed airports and harbours, roads and bridges, buildings and infrastructure, as well as Lebanese army positions. Israel's warships have blockaded Lebanon's shores while its warplanes conduct endless sorties. Remarkably, those who pushed Lebanon into the inferno have done nothing to help the country apart from offer a few words of sympathy.

Other Arab countries -- especially Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan -- took action to seek to end the bloodshed. In coordination with the Lebanese government, the three capitals have held talks with Washington, Moscow and major European countries, calling for international action, for the implementation of international resolutions and the revival of the peace process.

What Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan agree upon is that resistance must be exercised in accordance with international resolutions. Acts of resistance must be calibrated and timed so as to serve the ultimate cause, that of liberating land and prisoners. To reiterate, no faction has the right to make unilateral decisions that may bring devastation to their own people. This was the position embraced by Arab foreign ministers in their recent meeting. The foreign ministers were divided over some issues, but they managed to agree on key resolutions concerning Palestine, Lebanon and the peace process. But judging by the press conferences held by the Arab League secretary-general and the UAE foreign minister, one can only conclude that the Arab mood is coloured with unhelpful emotions. Many Arabs still cling to a bygone era. Many still crave the bombastic rhetoric that brought us only disasters in the past.