Hassan Nasrallah has always been careful with his criticisms of the “moderate” Arab regimes despite the obvious animosity. He recently broke with this diplomatic hypocrisy, indirectly accusing Egypt of complicity with the Israeli attack on Gaza. This elicited criticism from Samir Geagea and other Lebanese politicians who find this an inappropriate time to drive a wedge between Arabs.
But the wedge has been driven a long time ago and Nasrallah did nothing more than place his finger on a popular pulse. The attacks on Egyptian embassies across the Arab world did not need the instigation of Nasrallah. Neither did the demonstration led by an Egyptian parliamentarian. The Egyptian state, not knowing how to deal with the situation, is conducting a campaign against the Secretary General of Hizballah through various media outlets. The spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry even held Nasrallah repsonsible for the attacks on the Egyptian embassy in Yemen. As Abu al-Ghait’s vicious attack on Nasrallah makes clear, however, the effusive praise of the patriotism of the Egyptian army and people are meant more for domestic consumption than for Nasrallah himself.
Saudi Arabia too is scrambling. Faced with demands for demonstration permits from all quarters, it is responding the way it responds best: repression. The Saudi authorities also announced that they will forbid any demonstrations against Israel’s war on Gaza.
The Israeli atrocities in Gaza are plain for all to see, but the complicity of the moderates, primarily Egypt, is a sinister thread that runs through it all. The coup de grâce of this complicity came today when Egypt declared it would open the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on the condition that it be placed under the forces of Mahmoud Abbas. As Ibrahim al-Amin points out, this, along with extending Abbas’s term and dissolving the Hamas government, were the conditions Egypt was trying to impose on Hamas before Israel launched its attack. At best, Egypt’s condition for opening Rafah is an attempt at procrastination. At worst, it is in line with Israel’s declared aim of changing the rules of the game in Gaza.
Indignation, in the mean time, is coming from totally different quarters. Erdoğan is very upset with Olmert and the Turkish press is not mincing its words on Israel.
December 31, 2008 at 8:21 am
I can’t believe Saudi Arabia! Not only are they doing everything they can to prevent an Arab League meeting, but they’ve now banned protests against Israel!
In the face of overwhelming anger in the Arab world, these pathetic puppet dictators continue with their transparent complicity! Egypt still won’t open Rafah.
Also, check this out:
http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/12/a_fatah_friend_writes_im_suppo.php
I’m not sure this Zionist propaganda is true, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Abbas publicly took the line of Egypt/Saudi/US/Germany by blaming Hamas.
Hamas’ threat to assassinate Arab and PLO leaders could be more genuine than rhetoric. No doubt Iran, Syria and Hezbollah would lend their intelligence to assist such an operation.
Saudi and Syria still haven’t reconciled after the rift caused by the Lebanon War. This current war has essentially forced all sides to take the gloves off. It has never descended to open condemnations, calls for revolts and attacks on embassies.
The fear for Egypt is that Hassan Nasrallah is the most popular politician in the entire Arab world, including Egypt. If he says stand up, Mubarak fears his people will.
I don’t think reconciliation between the Arabs will be achieved until either side resigns or is toppled, and nor should it.
December 31, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Mahmoud Abbas… Now, there’s another scrambler. His irrelevance is now plain for all to see, if it were not already. He began by condemning the attack on Gaza, before he realized that his script has changed. There was a satisfying editorial by Khaled Saghiyeh in al-Akhbar Monday comparing Livni’s discourse with that of Abbas.