EGYPT: Arab states divided over Gaza
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Arab foreign ministers met Wednesday to work out a common stance on the situation in the Gaza Strip amid deep rifts among Arab states in their positions on Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that runs Gaza.
The envoys were expected to discuss a proposal made by Qatar and Syria to hold a summit in Doha, the Qatari capital, to develop a joint Arab position. That idea, however, was opposed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both U.S. allies, who were unwilling to throw their full support behind a summit that might boost Hamas.
Though all Arab states hold Israel responsible for the situation in Gaza, Saudi Arabia and Egypt put the blame partially on Hamas for the escalation of violence.
In his opening speech, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal argued that the division of the Palestinian leadership--Hamas ruling in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank--contributed to the ongoing Israeli attacks. “This massacre would not have happened had the Palestinian people been united behind one leadership,” he said.
“These divisions reflect a deep flaw in Arab-Arab relations and the split between the Iranian-led camp, which includes Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas, on one hand and Egypt and Saudi Arabia on the other,” said Nabil Abdel Fattah, an expert with Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.
Because no consensus could be reached on the summit, the ministers called on the United Nations Security Council to order an immediate cease-fire.
“Egypt and Saudi Arabia oppose the summit because they don’t like to engage in any confrontation between their heads of states and that of Syria or face the charges that they are responsible for the lack of support of the Palestinians,” said Mustafa Kamel El-Sayed, a political science professor at Cairo University.
Egypt, in particular, has been in a tough position since Israel launched its airstrikes on Gaza. It has been accused of supporting the Israeli attacks by keeping its borders closed to the Palestinians. Many demonstrations were arranged at home and in other Arab countries protesting the Egyptian position.
-- Noha El-Hennawy in Cairo
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