As was expected, the Arab league summit ended without any significant decisions to speak of. In fact, the summit was cut short when the leaders opted to give their statements to the assembly in writing. Most Arabs ordered their plane to be readied for take off Sunday early afternoon.
The division between member states, between the Arab leaders and their populations could not be more conspicuous at this summit. There was a sense of defeatism in the meeting hall. Most speakers reiterated their previous statements towards the Palestinian issue, that they support peace with Israel as a strategic solution. Although, Egypt and Saudi Arabia supported the Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas in his decision to refrain from holding proximity talks with Israel, until Israel renounces its building plans in East Jerusalem. While others questioned the effectiveness of any peace talks with Israel.
The Arab League secretary called on the member states to pursue talks with Iran to find common grounds with their Persian neighbor.
What was notable yet expected is the Libyan leader admonishment for the Arab leaders and their unwillingness to take a stand and solve their regional issues.
“ Arab Leaders are in unenviable position.” Moammar Gadhafi said.
Mr. Gadhafi’s statement illustrates the atmosphere in the Arab World today. It is one where the philosophy of defeatism and the belief that the status quo is a decree of god is widespread. The Leaders deserve much of the blame for what is happening to their nations, of the decay that befallen a region and a culture that were once the exporters of enlightenment to the World. But Arab intellectuals are not sparing their populations a share of the blame; the intellectuals believe the people committed a grave sin when they acquiesced to an ill-conceived notion of pre-written destiny.
But faith is fluid.
The modern history alone is full of examples of people rising up. Breaking the shackles of servitude, inequality and dictatorship. People of South Africa over-threw the Apartheid regime and chose a leader that struggled and spoke on their behalf. Nelson Mandela. People of Romania, rose up and over-threw their communist and erratic leader, Nicolae Ceausescu.
Mr. Gadhafi’s statement summed up the current state of Arab affairs during his address to the attendees. The disconnect between the rulers and their constituents reached an unprecedented point of clarity. The leaders have professed their failure to safe guard their countries interest. Mr. Gadhafi in his speech pointed out the symptoms of the current leaders’s policies or lack thereof – Stagnation in regional affairs, but failed to prescribe democracy and abrogation of the throne as a cure to the Arab endemic.