The Arab Summit in Riyadh.

America’s plan

America’s finger prints were firmly imprinted on the agenda to be discussed at the summit and on the rulers who attended well in advance of the summit actually taking place. In the days preceeding it, US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, met with many of the rulers in Egypt, Jordan and Palestine to brief them on the US plan and specifically to demand that they show greater warmth and conciliation to the State of Israel.

• The focus of America’s wishes were for the Arab rulers to revive the so called ‘Arab Peace Initiative’ of 2002 which had been put together by the then Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

• The Arab Peace Initiative proposes that the Arab and Muslim world withdraw its rightful claim to the land of Palestine and to accept only those territories that were earmarked to it in 1967 as a basis for all negotiations. Terrorities occupied by Israel from 1948 are not to be considered and the enactment of the Arab Peace Initiative by the Arab rulers would forfeit any claim or rights upon territories usurped and occupied between 1948 to1967.

• The reemergence of the Arab Peace Initiative after five years is due to the change in the Palestinian leadership. In 2002, the Palestinian Authority was run by secular factions alone. However, further to the Makkah Accord signed earlier this year a government of national unity now comprises both secularists and Islamists. Hence, the US wanted a government that represented all sides of opinion to endorse the Arab Peace Initiative on the way to abiding by international and regional agreements ultimately leading to the recognition of the State of Israel. In this way not only the Arab rulers but the Palestinians themselves would be relinquishing all claims upon 1948 occupied lands.

• The 2002 Arab Summit wished to erase 1948 occupied Palestine from the minds of the Arab rulers which they would then attempt to convey to the Muslim people. The declaration of the 2007 summit to agree to the Arab Peace Initiative moves one step further as it endorses the Palestinian authority to also remove from its memory the occupaton of the whole of Palestine and to be simply content with the territories that existed in 1967.

• The acceptance by the Arab rulers to the State of Palestine as defined by the 1967 borders is tantamount to betrayal of the Muslim people and cowardice in front of the aggressors. It is an admission of weakness that they cannot fight the occupiers or liberate the land of Palestine. Rather, if they were to mobilise the sincere sons of the Ummah in a genuine struggle the occupation and tyranny presiding of Palestine would vanish in a day.

• Even if one was to disregard the above and settle for a Palestinian state built upon the 1967 borders this will never happen for the Israelis have always reneged on their promises and wherever concessions are made they simply exercise further demands. Israel realises that if their enemies can compromise once they can compromise a dozen times; if their enemies give up one piece of Palestinian land they can give up the entire land. Therefore, the Israeli state will continue to repell any attempt to pressurise it or return any land whether by shifting its borders; building settlements or denying the right of return of refugees.

• The betrayal of the Muslim rulers knows no limits or shame. They disguise the acts of humilation, treachery and capitulation as if they are a victory. They supported the transitional government in Somalia which was created by the US and which prepared the groundwork for Ethiopean invading forces; The rulers uttered not a word when France ignited the Darfur conflict through its agents in Chad paving the way for foreign forces to enter the area; When the US occupied Iraq these rulers rejoiced at the demise of one of their miserable counterparts [Saddam]; in fact as the occupation intensified and the crusaders barbarity increased these rulers have got ever closer to America; the rulers were only too content to leave Lebanon to the Israeli onslaught last year and since then allow France and America to shape its future.

• The discussion ends by declaring that the rulers are a curse upon the Ummah ends with the noble ayah;

“O you who believe! Betray not Allâh and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly your Amânât (things entrusted to you, and all the duties which Allâh has ordained for you)” [TMQ Al-Anfal: 27]