Arabs: "Palestinians Repeat the Same Mistakes"

by Khaled Abu Toameh
September 21, 2020 at 5:00 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16523/arabs-palestinians-mistakes

Translations of this item:

At this pace, Palestinians might wake up one morning to discover that they no longer have any friends in the Arab countries at all.
"The Palestinians failed to establish their state. They failed because they did not want to establish a state. Here I mean the political leaders, some of whom still insist on repeating revolutionary phrases. The establishment of a Palestinian state will be a burden on the Palestinian leaders and will prevent them from practicing corruption.... The Palestinian Authority is no longer suitable to represent the Palestinian people." — Iraqi writer Farouk Youssef, Al-Arabiya, September 19, 2020.
"Israel did not destroy Syria; Israel did not burn Libya; Israel did not displace the people of Egypt; Israel did not destroy Libya, and Israel did not tear up Lebanon. Before you Arabs blame Israel, take a look at yourselves in the mirror. The problem is in you." — UAE Islamic cleric Wassem Yousef, Twitter, September 16, 2020.
"Palestinian leaders failed to invest in opportunities. They failed to take strategic decisions and chose [instead] to forge an alliance with Iran." — Saudi writer Yusef al-Qabalan, Al-Riyadh, September 18, 2020.
The biggest losers, of course, are again the Palestinians -- who are quickly losing the sympathy of a growing number of Arabs.

Several Palestinian factions have urged the Palestinian leadership to withdraw from the Arab League to protest the refusal of the Arab countries to condemn normalization with Israel. Earlier this month, the Arab League foreign ministers refused to endorse a Palestinian draft resolution condemning the UAE for its decision to make peace with Israel. Pictured: Arab Foreign Ministers at a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt, on March 4, 2020. (Photo by Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP via Getty Images)

The Palestinians have recalled their ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in protest of the signing of the peace deals between the two Gulf states and Israel. The Palestinians are now threatening to withdraw their envoys from any Arab country that follows suits and establishes relations with Israel.

In addition, several Palestinian factions have urged the Palestinian leadership to withdraw from the Arab League to protest the refusal of the Arab countries to condemn normalization with Israel. Earlier this month, the Arab League foreign ministers refused to endorse a Palestinian draft resolution condemning the UAE for its decision to make peace with Israel.

"The resolutions of the Arab League are mortgaged to the Zionist American administration," the factions said in a statement. "Normalization [with Israel] is a huge betrayal of the Palestinian issue and a stab to the sacrifices and pain of the Palestinians and Arabs."

The threats to pull out from the Arab League and withdraw Palestinian ambassadors from Arab countries that establish relations with Israel have sparked mockery and a flurry of critical comments in the Arab world, particularly the Gulf states. The main theme of the criticism: The Palestinian do not learn from their mistakes.

The Arab criticism, directed mostly against the leaders of the Palestinians, is yet another indication of the growing antagonism between the Palestinians and the Arab world. At this pace, Palestinians might wake up one morning to discover that they no longer have any friends in the Arab countries at all.

Many Arabs are outraged by the Palestinian threats, as well as the daily attacks on the UAE and Bahrain. These include accusations that the two Gulf states have "betrayed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem and the Palestinian issue" by agreeing to establish relations with Israel. The Arabs are also reminding the Palestinians of the many opportunities they missed when they rejected a number of peace initiatives and plans.

Lebanese journalist Khairallah Khairallah expressed outrage over the Palestinians' labelling of the signing ceremony of the Israel-UAE-Bahrain deals at the White House as a "black day."

Khairallah pointed out that the Palestinians refer to their expulsion from Jordan in the early 1970s as "Black September." At the time, he said, a Palestinian breakaway faction by that name tried to establish a state-within-a-state in Jordan and murder Jordan's King Hussein. The king, after his defeat in the 1967 Six Day War, had allowed the PLO to establish military bases in his kingdom, presumably to attack Israel. When the Palestinians, however, tried to overthrow the Jordanian government, he expelled them to Lebanon. There, they participated in the Lebanese civil war that began in 1975 and continued launching terror attacks against Israel. In 1982, after Israel led an invasion into Lebanon, the Palestinians were again expelled -- to Tunisia.

"Fifty years after 'Black September,' or call it whatever you like, nothing has changed," Khairallah wrote.

"The Palestinian leaders are refusing to learn from past experiences. The Palestinian armed organizations have repeated Jordan's experience in Lebanon. They played a role in destroying Lebanon [during the civil war]. Would the Palestinian issue have benefited had the Palestinian organizations managed in 1970 to overthrow King Hussein?"

Khairallah noted that that former PLO leader Yasser Arafat made a "huge mistake" in 1990 when he took a stance in support of Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, which had peacefully been hosting nearly half a million Palestinian workers. After Kuwait was liberated by the US-led coalition in 1991, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, regarded as disloyal, were deported from Kuwait and other Gulf states.

"Yasser Arafat did not learn from the experiences of Jordan and Lebanon," he added.

"It was expected that Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] would have learned from the mistakes of Yasser Arafat and from the mistakes of the experiences of Jordan and Lebanon, but he took the worst of Yasser Arafat. Half a century after what Palestinians call 'Black September,' nothing has changed. The Palestinians still have the ability to make the same mistakes." (Al-Arab, September 20, 2020)

Saudi political analyst Sami al-Morshid pointed out that the Palestinian leadership has in the past rejected several peace initiatives and treaties. Each time the Palestinians do this, al-Morshid said, "they lose."

"Unfortunately, Palestinian leaders, repeat the same mistakes. They rejected the Egyptian and Jordan peace initiatives [with Israel], and they rejected US President Bill Clinton's peace initiative [at the 2000 Camp David summit]. These days, they reject President Donald Trump's peace initiative and, finally, they reject the peace initiatives of the UAE and Bahrain."

Iraqi writer Farouk Youssef said that the Palestinians' problem is that their leaders do not want a Palestinian state. "The Palestinians failed to establish their state," Youssef remarked.

'They failed because they did not want to establish a state. Here I mean the political leaders, some of whom still insist on repeating revolutionary phrases. The establishment of a Palestinian state will be a burden on the Palestinian leaders and will prevent them from practicing corruption. The Palestinians need to realize that the others were tired. The Authority is no longer suitable to represent the Palestinian people." (Al-Arabiya, September 19, 2020)

Egyptian journalist Imad Adeeb wrote that if he were the Palestinian leadership, he would have distanced himself from Qatar, Turkey and Iran. Adeeb also advised the Palestinian leaders to avoid using the language of insults and slander against Arabs:

"If I were one of the Palestinian leaders, I would have abandoned the policy intransigence and the use of the language of insult, slander, and incitement... If I were the Palestinian leadership, I would have taken advantage of the UAE peace initiative. If I were from the Palestinian leadership, I would not have played the game of Qatar, Turkey and Iran against the moderate Arab states." (Al-Watan, September 8, 2020)

Saudi writer Yusef al-Qabalan also accused Palestinian leaders of repeatedly rejecting peace initiatives over the past few decades. Noting that the Palestinians had failed to take advantage of the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted in 2002 by the Arab leaders, al-Qabalan wrote:

"The realistic choice for the Palestinian leaders was to activate that Arab initiative in all political ways at the international level. What happened? The Palestinian leaders met the peace initiatives with rhetoric of betrayal and slogans that do not achieve anything on the ground. The Palestinian leaders turned to the traffickers of their issue, such as Iran, Turkey and Qatar and lost their strongest card, which is national unity. Palestinian leaders failed to invest in opportunities. They failed to take strategic decisions and chose [instead] to forge an alliance with Iran." (Al-Riyadh, September 18, 2020)

UAE Islamic cleric Wassem Yousef, addressing the Palestinians and other Arabs who reject peace with Israel, wrote on Twitter:

"Israel did not destroy Syria; Israel did not burn Libya; Israel did not displace the people of Egypt; Israel did not destroy Libya, and Israel did not tear up Lebanon. Before you Arabs blame Israel, take a look at yourselves in the mirror. The problem is in you."

Palestinian leaders, meanwhile, are ignoring the messages and advice from their Arab brothers. The Palestinian leaders in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip do not like to be reminded of their mistakes. Moreover, they are unwilling to accept any advice, even when it comes from Arab states that used to pour billions of dollars on them. The biggest losers, of course, are again the Palestinians -- who are quickly losing the sympathy of a growing number of Arabs.

Khaled Abu Toameh, an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem, is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at Gatestone Institute.

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© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

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Comment on this item

28 Reader Comments

Peter Rotberg • Sep 27, 2020 at 03:28

Palestinians are waiting for J. Biden in US and ... for Left Liberal Lobby in Israel.
So they are betting this time on a different international consensus +UN within which they would have majority and won't have US veto against against anti- Israeli resolutions to pass their cunning idea of "Palestine Conference"
Time to chime alert bells.
Peter Rotberg
The Realist.

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Grampa Mullan • Sep 23, 2020 at 05:59

Peace has been offered with many options for decades. the leaders don't want peace they want to rule in hell. Why? Money and the mega power that comes with it. Power is addictive. It is theirs and they won't give up any even if it means a better life for the people. We as Americans should take note of what life will be like for us if we allow these petty tyrants a foothold in America. Even the other Arab nations see the futility of continuing with the demands made for tyrants and not the people. I do wonder if they will send a teem in to mitigate and convenience these leaders that peace is good for everyone and we need to address larger things that threaten the world. each day more Arab nations see and come to the same conclusion. so the Palestinian leaders will comply or find themselves without a country or beneath it.------------Grampa

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Andrew • Sep 23, 2020 at 03:32

There has never been a country called Palestine, so why do such people named as such have an Ambassador in various countries, including in Europe as well as Arab Nations?.
If these people scream and shout about the "Right of return" then this would mean the right of the Jews to return to the land they lived on long before Muhammad met his angel in a cave as the Jews only left because they were conquered,forcibly converted, or slaughtered, all in the name of Islam.
Abbas and his ilk have done nothing for the people he claims to represent however after so long in power he sure is a very rich guy while he sends other peoples children to go out and blow themselves up.
The West Bank, Gaza and Israel ALL live in the same climate and the same landscape and yet only one of them is now a Hi Tech country that invents things the World needs today and feeds its own people... Guess which one that would be?...

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Kalman Palnicki • Sep 22, 2020 at 17:36

Golda Meir pointed out that Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

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Brian Roughan • Sep 22, 2020 at 06:24

May I congratulate Khaled on an amazing and well documented summary of the middle east problem and pray this is received by all, especially the Palestinian leadership as the only way forward for the good of mankind. God bless.

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cammo99 • Sep 21, 2020 at 23:36

At best the Palestinian identity is a curiosity of origins and what it is, its not a national identity at all except as an existential ideal. The Palestinian state has been mythologized to the point a more radical Islamist message seems to be more appealing than the former message of secular Marxism, its as if when the Berlin Wall came down the Palestinians were standing on a 4 legged stool a rope around their necks and fate kicked off one of the legs of the stool. For that they continue to blame and demonize the USA.

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Frank Tawil • Sep 21, 2020 at 23:04

Very true, because of the Palestinians, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Sudan etc., are paying the price. They have no democratically elected leaders, just a bunch of crooks.

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Juanita Young

Frank Tawil • Sep 25, 2020 at 04:16

and how do we get them to change....the ordinary people have to be a part of this...there has to be democracy and people wanting to live in peace... and you are so right... you've got the controlling 'deep state' leftist in power... and we fight this everyday ourselves... I think we must all pray more... and rely on God and His help much more than we are presently doing...

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Clive Delmonte • Sep 21, 2020 at 22:08

The Middle East can move forward without the "Palestinians".
Is that so bad?

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David

Clive Delmonte • Sep 23, 2020 at 07:21

They should be left in the garbage can of history. They are worse than useless. An unnecessary nuisance.

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Juanita Young

Clive Delmonte • Sep 25, 2020 at 04:07

I think this is a wonderful idea... we need peace... it has been initiated now by the UAE and Bahrain... in good faith... it will be interesting to see which countries will join now...

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Juanita Young

Clive Delmonte • Sep 26, 2020 at 02:57

no.... not bad at all... enough is enough... they are NOT interested in peace. So many lives lost with their initiated violence.....

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Geoff Seaman • Sep 21, 2020 at 17:40

It is now time for the Arab countries forging alliances with Israel to sponsor UN Resolutions which call for sanctions against Palestinian Leadership

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Erwin Hodel

• Sep 23, 2020 at 03:25

A long time ago, I also referred to the article by this Canadian anthropologist that you mentioned. But in my opinion, if you think that the cultural background to this constant denial of peace offers applies only to the Palestinians, you are drawing the wrong conclusions.

Prof. Salzmann's remarks indirectly show that none of this can be reduced to the difficult relationship between Israel and the Palestinians, but rather lies in the lack of acceptance of a non-Arab state in the Arab world. That is, if Israel (or any other non-Arab state!) had been founded in Algeria or Yemen, the situation wouldn't look much better.

Those who now welcome the new treaty between Israel and the Gulf States should be reminded of an old saying: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Although the process of normalization usually serves as the start of political, economic and cultural exchanges between countries, I am not yet convinced that this treaty will turn out to be a breakthrough for Israel's acceptance in the Middle East in the long term. The Gulf States do not represent the Arab Street, and Saudi Arabia's semi-secret relations with Israel are basically for one simple reason: Iran.

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Trajan • Sep 21, 2020 at 12:38

1) Abbas was elected to a 4 year term... in 2005. He's still in office, what does that tell you?
The Palestinians don't have a legitimate government to begin with and the world has quietly assimilated this fact.

2) The Arabs have lost patience with them as they no longer provide a lever that yields any gains.... in other words, as pawns, they've outlived their usefulness.

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Mark Matthias • Sep 21, 2020 at 12:04

Dozens upon dozens of prophecies forecast the Jews returning to the Land of Israel -- Here's two, writen about c. 592 -- 570 BC:Ezekiel 20:34 - "I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered -- with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath."

c. 740 - 680 BC -- Isaiah 11:11-12 - "In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth."

Yet the Palestinians are trying to make the case that the land belongs to them... of all people. Looking at the entire storyline of the history of the Jews and Arabs does nothing to add to the case the Arabs have tried to make as remotely legitimate. Nevertheless, the world is a stage and this drama will play out to the bitter end.

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Jeff Allan • Sep 21, 2020 at 11:07

I agree with Khaled on his summation. However vindictive and arrogant the Palestinian leadership behaved towards their people, this was known for decades by the Arab world. The self aggrandizing at the expense of their subjects was ignored by both the East and West in the cause of unity. All blame was politically put on to Israel for the sake of unity. When one defends immorality, there never was any hope of peace. Are any countries without blame? Everyone has their own agenda and expediency . In my opinion, this new status quo in the Middle East is healthy and promotes a balance to tyrannical forces. No positive action and change in direction or culture is an easy matter. May this new overt unity amongst cousins bring abundant success and prosperity to all participants in this region and the world at large. It takes Moral strength and much criticism of this new found alliance to forge ahead. Bravo to you all .

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Peter Rotberg • Sep 21, 2020 at 09:59

Dear Brother Khaled
I wish these were just "mistakes" and I wish it were just Palestinian Authority's greed, rejectionism and corruption. That's what the Palestinian "cause" is and has always been. In macro: serving as a tool of Islamist expansionism along with Iran and its allies and in micro-destruction of the Jewish state.
One of the greatest achievements of US-UAE-Israel-Bahrain treaties is that it showed undoubtedly who the enemies of peace and prosperity are.
Beware !
Peter Rotberg.
The Realist.

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I.Snyder • Sep 21, 2020 at 08:08

The EU & the UN have been banging the same anti-Semitic drum for years. The left wing media still sings the anti-Semitic songs for years. Time to change the tune, because if not the dance of death will still be performed killing the innocent. Palestinians, take back your country from the murdering dictators that are squeezing & drinking the blood from your people.

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Bill K • Sep 21, 2020 at 07:14

It is an encouraging and welcome sign that there is reason to hope, and to look forward to better times, after reading this kind of column.
It is reminiscent of the words of the late PM Gold Meir to the late President Sadat of Egypt, when he came, for the first time to Israel. She asked him: "What took you so long?"
Indeed, the important words to hear now are: "Israel is not the enemy."

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Laurence Davis • Sep 21, 2020 at 06:45

The Palestinians may be losing the sympathy of many Arab states, but not of the EU, as far as I can see!

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Juanita Young • Sep 21, 2020 at 05:53

I cannot tell you how proud I am of the UAE and Bahrain over this treaty.... I was in the Holy Land in Israel in Dec. of 2016....what a beautiful country! My dear friend whom I worked for in aviation in Alaska, Karl Heckmann was the personal pilot for King Hussein of Jordan years ago and also for the UAE before he died of cancer.... the royalty of the UAE flew him home to Ohio to be with his wife where he died 4 months later.... Karl so loved and respected these men who he worked for and always prayed for peace in this land.....
Nita Young

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Bonnie

Juanita Young • Sep 21, 2020 at 18:19

I appreciate your comment so much, Ms. Young. The UAE and Bahrain are an inspiration in courage. They have started what we hope and pray will be a strong and lasting movement towards shared economies and regional peace.

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Peter Rotberg

Juanita Young • Sep 24, 2020 at 13:08

Querida Juanita
As a Jew and an Israeli I am as proud as you are of all parties who concluded these historical peace treaties .The UAE and Bahrain display all the features of noble royalties you mentioned and of classic golden age of now mythological Califa (caliphate) de Cordoba, Hope these processes are irreversible!
Peter Rotberg.
Friend and Supporter.

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Juanita Young

Peter Rotberg • Sep 24, 2020 at 19:53

oh I so hope this is irreversible too.... Peter.... this world needs peace and love thy neighbor..... Nita

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Peter Rotberg

Juanita Young • Sep 25, 2020 at 05:29

Deeply moved by your reply.
"My people is your people and my God is your God" - Ruth the Moabitan.
Peter Rotberg.

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Harvey L • Sep 21, 2020 at 05:33

The moderate Arab leaders realise that pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it achieves nothing. Until the so called Palestinian people rise up and overthrow the corrupt parasites that just keep salting money away, nothing will change; they will remain a pariah in the Arab world

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Nick Usiskin • Sep 21, 2020 at 05:32

Yes, the Palestinians may be losing the sympathy of a growing number of Arabs. However, they continue to attract the sympathy of the EU, the UN, and the western media. The media seem unable to see beyond the image of the Palestinian as victim, and Israel as persecutor. This seems to form the basis of almost all media reports.

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