Khalid Abdullah Al Ziyara
The 26th Arab Summit held recently in Sharm El-Sheikh resulted in important highlights. This is due to the high level of successful representation and the closing statement, which made it one of the most important Arab summits held since the establishment of the Arab League. But, what is really significant is the extent of cooperation and commitment of Arab countries to implement what they agreed upon during the meeting, most notably the formation of a joint Arab force.
It is an event which received different shades of opinion, whereas the text of the closing statement of the summit said: “This force will intervene militarily to confront the challenges that threaten the security and safety of any of the member states at the request of the
state concerned.”
A beneficial result of the Arab summit is the dominance of the Yemeni crisis in most meetings in relation to “Decisive Storm” military operation, led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen against the militant group — Houthis — and troops loyal to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Leaders pledged in the final statement to stand together as “one barrier in the face of some external parties (unnamed in the statement) that aim to fuel the fire of strife, discord and division in some Arab countries, taking all required measures to coordinate the efforts and plans for establishing a joint Arab force to meet challenges.”
Also, from the pros of the Arab summit is devoting its work to discuss the challenges facing Arab national security, diagnosing the causes, standing on the necessary actions and measures to confront any danger, in order to preserve the unity of Arab territory, safeguard the destiny and the structure of its states, and to promote co-existence between its components in the face of a number of specific threats.
The concept of Arab national security has a comprehensive meaning that covers political, military, economic and social dimensions, and that is what was emphasised during the summit in words and deeds, for the sake of handling the current developments that the region has experienced, and for taking necessary steps to formulate a joint Arab stand in the face of all challenges.
This agreement is based on the fact that what unites Arab states when searching for answers to the key questions of the crucial issues is much larger than what divides them. The Arab challenges have become very clear, and don’t require further explanation. This refers to the importance of taking all required measures to address such challenges, which has been demonstrated significantly in the unrest that was about to destroy Yemen.
Hence, we must exert all efforts to stand united as one barrier to block the plots of the foreign parties as they want to fuel the fire of strife, discord and division.
We are witnessing moments of weakness and times of disgrace when our enemies are racing to invade us; the old and modern forces of colonialism don’t give us the opportunity to unite. All colonisation schemes are targetting fragmentation of Arabs and Muslims, so that our countries are divided based on sectarian strife, which preserve the continuity of those forces.
We drift behind the US illusions that play with everyone’s destiny, as it doesn’t put forward but its interests.
We are all well aware of the lesson and realise how establishing an Arab force is the beginning of an Arab Islamic unity in the face of these schemes and challenges.
“Will” is the only path that can conquer the darkness that nests in our countries and it is one way to our safety.
