Muhammad Usman
OF late, UAE and Israel have reached a deal, brokered by President Trump to normalize their relations while Israel has agreed to suspend its plans to annex parts of occupied West Bank. Trump is optimistically jubilant. Israelis are smug. Arabs are bewildered. Palestinians have been left once again high and dry. Islamic world stands in wilderness. There is no moving force. Threat of division within looms large. 1973 Arab-Israel War was its high point when myth of Israeli invincibility was broken. Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq led the war militarily and Saudi Arabia was upfront monetarily and diplomatically. By and large, Islamic world stood in unison albeit largely politically. Now situation is totally different courtesy US to tame resistance to Israel’s ambitions proactively. Egypt and Jordan have been sidelined on the name of peace accords. The leadership of both is ever ready to bend elastically for want of their parochial interests. Iraq was devastated preposterously on the name of weapons of mass destruction. Syria is in ruins because of civil strife engineered. Saudi Arabia has also been subdued. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has called it a historic day. His assertion does not seem implausible when seen in historical context. The reaction of Islamic world particularly, the Arab world was stern to illegitimate birth of Israel in 1948. Being an illegitimate state, Israel has no right to exist. It has to disappear. This was the clarion call. They unequivocally declared; no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel and no negotiation with Israel. Palpably under duress, now majority of Arab states seem inclined to toe an untenable presumption, proffered by US and other allies of Israel. If more Muslim and Arab countries normalize relations with Israel, it would help advance a just and fair resolution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
This is an allure. This is nothing more than an ivory tower of words for Arabs, addicted to a bloated style of life. Deep down their hearts, few may be aware of the plot but find it an inevitable and necessary evil nevertheless, even for an ordinary observer, it is no foretelling. Within hours of its announcement by Trump, Israeli PM made it plain that he has delayed West Bank plans but those remain on table. In agreement, word used is suspend, not the abandon. It was absurdness of the UAE to interpret differently to satisfy their conscience. After UAE, Bahrain and Oman are in queue to accord recognition to Israel and establish the relations. Trump has also named Saudi Arabia. Now it is interesting to see how it balances the equation between US pressure and moral pressure of the cause of Palestine. Israel wanted recognition, self-determined defensible borders and dominant role in ME. It secured defensible borders in 1967 Arab-Israel War by occupying Arab territories and flagrantly defying every move and UN resolutions to vacate these areas in connivance with the US. On the other hand, it would involve a lengthy discourse that how it has brought Israel thus far; a stage for attainment of its other two objectives. In a nutshell, potentially these are watershed developments. It was satisfying to note that Pakistan has reacted to the development cautiously. Pakistan’s approach will be guided by evaluation of how Palestinian’s rights are upheld while declaring it a development with far reaching implications. Truly, its ramifications are far reaching not only in content but also its range; far beyond confines of Arabian Peninsula. To be precise, these would also impact Pakistan. On good reasons, it is a foregone conclusion that stand of Gulf States against Israel on the issue of Palestine would be slackened. The possibility of its resolution would recede into background.
With their recognition of Israel, pressure on other Islamic countries may also be mounted. Though Imran Khan has categorically dismissed possibility of recognition of Israel and compromise on its stand about Palestine however, real test would lie how Pakistan tackles both the pressures particularly, if these come from UAE and Saudi Arabia too where a large number of Pakistanis work and Pakistan relies greatly on their financial assistance and oil on deferred payments. It is believed that after obtaining enough sheen of legitimacy for Israel as a state, US would deal Arab states more heavy handedly to dictate its terms. It would also have services of Israel in whatever way it could render. Besides, it’s two vital interests in ME; oil and Israel, US has another vital interest at hand. It is to counter China which is eying at Eurasia and Africa from Gwadar, seaport through ME. Beyond Gwadar, it is Arabian Sea where mega contest between China and US will take place. This brings Pakistan deeper into an international rivalry. On this account, Pakistan may have to face US pressure along with pressure from Arab friends. US has already reached at two seaports of Oman and has also beefed up its naval presence in the region. Contrarily, China is still at contemplating stage and has to do a lot to confront US in order to secure safe shipping lanes. Undeniably, testing times are ahead for Pakistan which involve friends working at cross purposes. This amounts to walking a tight rope all along and may test our diplomatic skills and resourcefulness to the limit. Time is of paramount importance. Only our interests should guide our actions because it is the only national interests which are eternal.
— The writer, a retired Lt Col, is freelance columnist based in Islamabad.
