Perspectives and insights of Israel’s current war with Gaza from writers in the Arab media.
While the two Arab writers below predictably display no shred of sensitivity or understanding of Israel’s existential situation, they nevertheless are critical of Hamas and Hezbollah, questioning whether the approach of these organizations serves the best interests of the people they purport to represent.
(*Translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
AN UNHEARD VOICE FROM GAZA
By Hasan Almustafa
Al Bilad, Bahrain, July 4
The human suffering experienced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is profound and overwhelming, particularly for civilians, women, and children. This suffering is not confined to the immediate horrors of death but also extends to those who have been grievously wounded, some losing limbs, and to the deep psychological scars that will undoubtedly burden a generation of children who have endured this tragedy.
The anguish is palpable, with citizens voicing their desperate pleas against the killing, starvation, and displacement imposed by Israel. These anguished voices demand an immediate end to the conflict, pointing fingers at both Tel Aviv and the Hamas movement as responsible parties in the current crisis.
However, many voices among the Gazans criticizing and rejecting Hamas often go unheard, deliberately obscured by media narratives that attempt to downplay their significance, portraying them as mere temporary complaints. There are calls to continue the fight, asserting that perseverance will lead to victory and that this is a historic opportunity to liberate the land and defeat the occupation.
Proponents of this perspective argue that the sacrifices, including tens of thousands of deaths, are the natural price all people pay on the path to liberation and dignity. This “revolutionary” narrative presents a significant cognitive and historical fallacy, simplifying an extremely complex situation.
Liberation and resistance are not solely achieved through armed struggle; there are also civil methods and multiple approaches to building an independent state in line with international legitimacy resolutions. While it is true that an extremist Israeli government currently rejects the concept of a Palestinian state, promotes more settlements, and dismisses regional and international peace initiatives, the operation carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, did not pave the way to Jerusalem. Instead, it resulted in a disaster greater than the catastrophe of 1948.
When weapons are wielded without reason, strategy, and policy, they are blind instruments of destruction, not construction. Many individuals, far removed from the conflict, sit behind the comfort of their screens, enjoying songs and dancing to the Palestinian dabke, waving the keffiyeh. Others raise their fists in solidarity, chanting for the continuation of the resistance, only to return to their safe and stable lives. Meanwhile, the true and heavy price is borne by the people of Gaza.
Those intoxicated by the allure of armed resistance should humble themselves and listen to the profound suffering of grieving families whose dreams and children have been torn from their arms and cast into the blazing inferno of Israeli retaliation by Hamas’s actions.
– Hasan Almustafa
THE ARAB LEAGUE: HEZBOLLAH TODAY, ISIS TOMORROW
By Mohammed Al-Saeed
Okaz, Saudi Arabia, July 5
In a surprising announcement, the Arab League’s assistant secretary-general, Hossam Zaki, declared that the organization is no longer classifying Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. This shift marks a significant change in the League’s stance and has already sparked considerable debate and controversy across the Arab world.
The League has long served as the cornerstone of Arab unity, the sanctuary to which nations turn when crises escalate and hope dwindles. We might recall the pivotal role the League played post-1967, particularly at the Khartoum Summit, which succeeded in mending wounds, fostering unity, and supporting the reconstruction of armies shattered by the war. After the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, the Arab League provided a crucial platform for legitimizing Kuwait and endorsed vital political and military efforts for its liberation.
A brief historical overview of the Arab League underscores its significance in Arab affairs. Established in 1943, the League was an Arab initiative spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen to foster collaborative Arab action. Many other Arab nations were still under British and French occupation or guardianship at the time. The inaugural meeting in Alexandria included delegates from these founding countries, marking the birth of the Arab League.
A closer examination of the League’s history reveals its tenacity in addressing myriad issues plaguing the Arab world, starting with the Palestinian cause. The League played a decisive role in recognizing the Palestinian Authority, even amid significant conflicts such as the 1948 Palestine War, the Tripartite Aggression, the 1967 Setback, the War of Attrition, Black September, the 1973 October War, the 1978 peace treaty with Israel, the 1975 Lebanese Civil War, the 1980 Iran-Iraq War, and the 1991 occupation of Kuwait [Editor’s Note: The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait began in 1990].
While some criticize the League’s economic and cultural initiatives as lackluster, it has steadfastly refused to be a voice for terrorist organizations. Imagining figures like Al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden, Al-Zarqawi, or Al-Baghdadi at the League’s meeting table is not only inconceivable but an affront to Arab history. The notion of Hassan Nasrallah speaking on behalf of Lebanon, given his role in the bloodshed of Syrians and Lebanese, rather than from his secluded stronghold, is equally abhorrent. It is disturbing that some seek to rehabilitate these terrorist groups that have wreaked havoc across the Arab world.
Throughout its history, the Arab League has staunchly opposed threats to Arab security and any attempts to usurp the role of central Arab states. Al-Qaida, ISIS, and Hezbollah have never been permitted to partake in Arab political action through the League. These organizations remain isolated, parasitic entities with no place in legitimate Arab discourse.
The League has consistently supported the independent security and political actions of Arab countries to defend against transient terrorist threats. Furthermore, the League has played an instrumental role in countering foreign states’ attempts to influence Arab decisions, a testament to the collective resolve of Arab nations against such infiltration.
In summary, the Arab League’s enduring commitment to Arab unity, security, and sovereignty cannot be overstated. It has navigated numerous crises and consistently protected Arab interests against internal and external threats, remaining a pivotal institution in the Arab world.
– Mohammed Al-Saeed
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
