Posted on 09/10/2020 8:01:12 AM PDT by SJackson
Senior official says foreign ministers were not in agreement on Palestinian issue, after PA foreign minister criticizes body for failure to show unity in backing its cause
The Arab League failed to pass a resolution on Wednesday proposed by the Palestinian Authority which would have condemned the normalization deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
After a three-hour debate, some Arab countries refused to include [a] statement condemning [the UAE] for abandoning Arab decisions. Additionally, they struck out a clause which discussed the trilateral agreement between the UAE, US, and Israel, Palestinian Authority Representative to the Arab League Muhannad al-Aklouk told Maan News.
Senior Arab League official Hussam Zaki said: “Discussion around this point was serious and comprehensive. But it did not lead to agreement over the resolution proposed by the Palestinians.”
Zaki ultimately blamed the Palestinians for the failure to pass the resolution, claiming they had insisted they would either accept a condemnation or no statement on the Palestinian issue at all.
“A number of amendments were proposed, and then counter-amendments…and we were at a point in which Palestinian demands had not been realized, and the Palestinians preferred it not to pass rather than have it pass in a manner which they believed to be inadequate,” Zaki said.
Palestinian politicians condemned the deal as soon as it was announced in mid-August by US President Donald Trump, with many calling it a stab in the back by an Arab ally. Palestinian Liberation Organization chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said that if Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit could not condemn the treaty, he ought to resign.
While preliminary reports had indicated that Palestinian diplomats intended to soften their stance on the UAE going into the meeting so as to avoid diplomatic failure, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki demanded a full-throated stance rejecting the normalization deal in a Wednesday speech opening the session.
This meeting must release a decision rejecting this step. Otherwise, we will be seen as giving it our blessing, or conspiring with it, or attempting to cover it up, al-Maliki said.
Such a condemnation seemed unlikely from the start, however, given that several Arab states such as Egypt and Bahrain have expressed public or tacit support for the deal, which is due to be signed next week in Washington.
Nor was the Arab League in any rush to discuss the issue. Palestinian officials had originally called for an emergency meeting of the pan-Arab body against the deal when it was announced, but said they were told to wait nearly a month until this Wednesday, when a regular meeting had already been scheduled.
Aboul Gheit said on Wednesday that the Arab League would consider a resolution during the summit which would not deviate from its support for the Palestinian cause.
It is the indisputable right of each country to have sovereignty in conducting its foreign policy in the way it sees fit. This is something that this council respects and approves. At the same time, we hold certain values as principles of consensus, Aboul Gheit said, without specifying what those were.
UAE officials, such as Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash, have emphasized that their decision to normalize with Israel was a sovereign decision made in accordance with the UAEs strategic interests.
Senior PA official Hussein al-Sheikh called the Arab League’s failure to condemn the normalization deal “the triumph of money over dignity.”
“The Arab League has not produced anything. It has given the entire region condemnations of everyone ad nauseum — except for Israel. This is a thunderous collapse, the use of ‘national sovereignty’ to justify subservience,” al-Sheikh said.
Al-Maliki struck a similar note in his speech on Wednesday, decrying what he said was the Arab League’s uselessness and hypocrisy.
He said that Palestinian officials constantly heard from third parties about Arab officials paying lip service to the Palestinian cause in public while conducting relations with Israel in private.
[Other countries] would confirm to us that [Arab League] decisions were nothing more than ink on paper to mollify the Palestinians. It puts us in an embarrassing position, al-Maliki concluded.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem also condemned the Arab League’s failure to pass the resolution.
“This inability to condemn the UAE merely tempts Israel and the United States to continue implementing their plan to liquidate the Palestinian cause,” Qassem said.
Iran is the enemy of the Arabs
Palestinians Hamas(and Lebanon Hezbollah) are iranian surrogates
Palestinians are Arab enemies.
Nice
Looks like the only ones who have a problem with a nation named “Palestine” are the Palestinians.
The Palestinians are getting tiresome with the perpetual war with Israel meme and virtually everyone who eventually wants to join the first world is getting that now.
Trump has started a domino effect without firing a shot. Iran and its surrogates are becoming marginalized.
1. Most Arabs do not like Palestinians.
2. Several of the Arab states do deals with Israel behind closed doors.
3. They are tired of giving money to the Palestinian government and having it wind up in Swiss bank accounts, instead of helping the people....................
..................
Palestinians have worn out their welcome
Palis are perpetual victims, whiners, and complainers...they could live in peace with Israel and prosper if it wasnt for Iranian and other outside radical influences...will never learn..sort of like the demonrats with their USA blacks....
Before Burn Loot Murder, I used to think PaleoSImians were the biggest scum on the planet
“They are tired of giving money to the Palestinian government and having it wind up in Swiss bank accounts”
Palestinians cost you money.
Israelis make you money.
Maybe the Arab is finally starting to wise up and realize that they have more to fear from Iran and possibly Turkey than they ever had from Israel.
“Palestinians have worn out their welcome”
...and it is no longer the Palestinians (read “muslims”) or Israel (non-muslims) - now it is the Palestinians or the UAE.
Emiratis know how to get things done. All of the Arab League want the UAE to come and invest in their countries, for tangible benefits.
Anger the UAE, and they have sway beyond their own country, through business connections, tribes, intermarriage, and social networking among the Arab elite.
UAE is the investor class, PLO are like BLM/Antifa. Now there is a potential cost, if they opt to pander to the mob.
The article is silent on the Saudi position. That is kind of the 800 lb gorilla in the room. I am still hoping that that giant other shoe drops in October. Few in the Arab League will want to be on the wrong side of the Saudis.
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