Another fiasco

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So we Arabs, or rather our leaders, or some of those leaders break bread and nurture our relationships with countries in our neighbourhood. And to what end? And for what purpose do they meet regularly to wash their dirty linen in public?

Messy facts mar the realities in the Arab world. Politically, the countries of the region stand at the crossroads. The people of many Arab League nations are at this particular historical juncture awaiting change at the ballot box or have had polls -- Iraq just underwent elections and Sudan is supposed to be getting into the election frenzy next week, perhaps. The political situation in all the Arab countries is in flux, and the Palestinian question and the despicable manner in which the Palestinians are treated remains at the heart of the region's concerns.

So what was the purpose of the Arab League summit in Sirte, Libya, 27-28 March? Did it address the burning political issues of the Middle East in a bold and forthright manner?

Apparently not. The main purpose, it seems, is to solicit valuable international partnerships. For the first time in many years the 22-nation Arab League openly courted two of the most influential non-Arab Muslim nations -- Turkey and Iran. Turkey has consistently been refused membership in the European Union even though, with it's strategic location, it is a key member of NATO. Turkey has growing trade and economic relations with many Arab countries. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa proposed the creation of a forum for regional economic cooperation and conflict resolution that would include Turkey and Iran. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately endorsed the Arab League proposal in Sirte. It is obvious that Turkey needs the Arab world as a counterbalance to Europe and to enhance its Islamic credentials.

Iran, on the other hand, needs the Arabs in its clash with the West over its nuclear activities. Iran also has tremendous influence in certain Arab countries such as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, as well as with the Palestinians.

This is all well and good but the fact is the Palestinian question, we repeat, has not been dealt with head-on. Arab leaders by and large rejected pressure from Syria and Libya to abandon all negotiations with Israel and resume the armed struggle. The moderate states won the day by reiterating their line to renew Arab support for the US-led peace efforts if the Likud government makes up with Washington and agrees to "freeze" further settlement activity in East Jerusalem.

Unfortunately once again, divisions -- political and ideological -- came to the fore. The leader of the host nation, Muammar Gaddafi threatened that his nation will withdraw support for the Arab peace initiative launched in Beirut in 2002. Likewise, Hamas criticised the summit's support for peace negotiations. This is another sorry example of the Arab regimes towing the US line, ignoring the overwhelming bitterness and frustration of their people. It is perhaps indicative that eight heads of state stayed away, and the Sirte summit registered a higher than usual number of high-level no-shows.