The question of the fate of the Palestinian cause seems to be on the table every time there are changes in the relations between the Arab countries and Israel and also between the Islamic countries and Israel. Some try to hoodwink people into thinking that the Arabs have “bailed on the cause” and have abandoned the Palestinian people. That’s false, and ignores the facts that are clear to everyone.
Such talking points are used by others as a pretext to continue spreading chaos, violence, extremism and terrorism, and to incite attacks on innocent civilians in Israel. But the issue here is not about Arab positions, but about terror plans directed against all people in our region.
In this regard, not much has changed in the official Arab positions, whether they are countries that have signed peace agreements with Israel or not. None of these countries have taken a contrary position. None has deviated from its stated policy on this issue.
The Palestinian issue is not for showcased on the political market for it to be “sold” by this or that state; it is a just cause recognized by international law and conventions.
The resolution of the Palestinian issue has nothing to do with the ongoing hostility between Arabs and Israel, for the simple reason that the conflict situation has been going on for more than seven decades, during which both sides have fought several wars. No qualitative breakthrough has been achieved on this issue that would bring peace and stability to the Palestinian people and the region.
Right now, the world is evolving at an accelerated pace. Radical shifts are in the process of reshaping the existing world order. International relations are being remolded politically, militarily, economically, and security-wise based on the facts of the Ukraine crisis.
These changes affect the entire regional and international landscape. Even traditional alliances that existed in past decades and years have been thrown into question. Many of these alliances have not survived the great wave of change.
Some are on the verge of collapse. Others are waiting for new rules of the game redefining these partnerships. In this context, it makes no sense for the Palestinian position to restrict itself to particular discourses, stances, practices, or behaviors.
It should adapt to the new global strategic realities. It should also understand the motives of the Arab dynamics around it and not hide behind a rhetoric of incitement and bashing all matters of cooperation between the Arabs and Israel.
Supporting the rights and the cause of the Palestinian people is a matter of collective Arab consciousness, the official Arab positions are stated, and no real harm comes to the Palestinian people as a result of the peace agreements. Quite on the contrary. It is very important to communicate with the Israeli leadership in times of crisis and tension.
Israel’s keenness to create the atmosphere and opportunities for new peace agreements with Arab capitals seriously contributes to a positive change in Israeli policy, provided that nothing is done that embarrasses these leaders or earns them criticism from their political opponents at home.
At one of the most important recent events in Israeli-Arab cooperation, the Negev Summit, attended by a number of Arab foreign ministers with their American and Israeli counterparts, HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, reiterated the UAE’s determination to support the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He also reiterated the UAE’s commitment to the Arab consensus on the “centrality” of the Palestinian issue, reflecting the UAE’s vision and firm convictions that have not changed since the signing of the Abraham Accord in August 2020, namely that the pursuit of peace and stability is not incompatible with respect for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians.
This assures everyone that consolidating coexistence and tolerance in no way means jeopardizing the cause and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Violence and terrorism against Israel or others would only serve to perpetuate hostilities. They undermine the chances for peace and prevent any efforts in that direction from ever getting off the ground.
The various experiences of the past decades are the best evidence of the consequences of violence and bloodshed. It is time to try a better and more civilized approach to the conflict situation with Israel.
