ings of Foreign Agendas

 political Parties and Warnings of Foreign Agendas 

By Dr Yasir Elhussein

 

The Israeli occupation of Palestine poses a major threat to Arab national security. The crimes committed by the occupation extend beyond Palestine’s physical boundaries, reaching various areas in the Arab world. These areas, particularly those of strategic importance, are critical for Arab national security. One of the most dangerous threats lies in Israel’s use of soft power through normalization. This tactic has turned countries that have normalized relations with Israel into active participants in its war efforts. This marks Israel’s greatest success in penetrating Arab national security. Presently, Israel’s influence is strongly felt in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which serves as a gateway to the Arab world’s southern region. This is achieved through the actions of Israel’s agents and those implementing its destructive goals and policies.

Over the recent past, there has been widespread sadness across the Arab world over the secession of South Sudan, which is not only the largest Arab country in terms of area but also the richest in natural resources. Apart from the internal and historical factors that led to this outcome, we can attribute the secession to a structural security flaw. This dysfunctional security has already caused the loss of Iraq and Palestine, and poses ongoing threats to this troubled homeland. Reflecting on the Syrian crisis makes it clear how tragic the Arab situation has become. It is no longer just a crisis caused by leaders’ inability to take positive action, but also a complete lack of regional and international engagement.

The Arab has lost its significance and relevance, hardly making impact or being noticed. The Arab nations’ absence in the Syrian theater not only allowed major powers like Moscow and Washington to establish their influence but also opened doors for smaller players to position themselves. This unfortunate situation mirrors the prevalent nature of Arab summits – high on rhetoric and wishful thinking, but rarely followed by concrete action on the ground. In almost every summit, there is a recurring theme of highlighting the importance of the Palestine issue for the entire Arab nation, specifically emphasizing occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine. However, it raises the question: why distinguish between East and West Jerusalem, when it is simply Jerusalem as a whole? The term ‘East Jerusalem’ is used to denote the part of the city that wasn’t occupied by Israel in 1948 but was occupied in 1967, constituting only 16% of Jerusalem’s overall area. It appears that the summit willingly disregarded 84% of the city, which later became known as West Jerusalem. A closer examination of the Arab League’s efforts since its establishment on March 22, 1945, shows their modest impact and a steady decline in their role.

During this particular period, the League mediated in 12 of 20 regional crises, and intervened in only 5 of the 22 major civil wars. It is worth noting that the League is currently unable to take any positive action regarding the ongoing events in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Libya. National security encompasses not only political aspects but also economic aspects. However, the Arab system has not sufficiently focused on Sudan from an economic-security perspective.

Nevertheless, the Arab betrayal of Sudan is much more evident in the political-military sphere than in the economic aspect. It is widely known that Arab countries supported the popular movement against the Sudanese army, contributing to its eventual secession and providing military support during one of the darkest periods of the conflict. This support empowered the movement and allowed it to become oppressive, solely due to political differences with the ruling regime in Sudan at that time. Sudan is on the verge of establishing a museum that showcases violations of Arab brotherhood.

This museum would contain evidence of the support from several Arab countries for the popular movement, including weapons, equipment, and other related artifacts. Not only on the political level, but also on the media platforms, the late leader of the Popular Movement, John Garang, utilized these countries to spread his anti-Arabist messages and advocate for secession based on racial grounds. Today, a similar situation is unfolding while the more privileged Arabs remain complacently silent. The Sudanese army is currently engaged in combat with the Rapid Support militia, which is sowing chaos and destruction in the country, and the continuation of this conflict is only made possible due to external support. The Sudanese army, which shed the blood of its soldiers on the Arab borders in Sinai, Palestine, and Yemen, continues to exist. However, its neighbors view it as a rebel militia, undermining both Sudanese and Arab national security. Certainly, there are in the Arab world who are dissatisfied with the state of Arab regimes and who share Sudan’s sorrow.

During the fifty-fourth general session of the Arab Parties Conference in 2011, held in Morocco, the chosen slogan reflected Sudan’s situation at that time. It was titled “Towards Confronting Internal Strife and the Hurricanes of Fragmentation.” One significant decision made during this meeting was the establishment of an annual day, called the “Arab Day Against Fragmentation,” marking the announcement of South Sudan’s secession. Sudan’s importance to Arab national security encompasses various aspects: political, military, economic, and even cultural. In essence, Sudan acts as a two-way bridge, facilitating the exchange of Arab-Islamic influence with the African continent and vice versa. Throughout history, Sudan has served as a melting pot, representing a miniature Africa, allowing it to wield significant influence in both the Arab and African realms. It has the potential to promote African-Arab integration in all sectors, thereby enhancing Arab national security. Therefore, rather than lamenting past events, it is crucial to ask whether any emotions remain that can provoke tears.