Tunis: The Arab-Islamic countries have criticised the acceptance of the Israeli sovereign right over the Golan Hills, by US President Donald Trump. The Arab League meeting held in Tunisia rejected the Israeli sovereign right over the Golan Hills. At the same time, the Arab League, in its statement, said that the Israel-Palestine conflict, continuing over last so many decades, is detrimental to the peace and stability of the region. Saudi Arabia adopted a stand that the tension in Syria can be resolved through political negotiation.
Last week, the US President officially announced the Golan Hills region, as a sovereign part of Israel. The US state department will soon publish an Israeli map, showing Golan Hills as a part of Israel. The 30th meeting of the Arab League was convened to discuss the issue of this announcement, at Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Along with the Golan issue, issues like conflicts in Syria and Yemen, Israel-Palestine peace talks and power struggle in Libya, were also discussed during the meeting. The Arab League unequivocally denounced the US decision regarding the Golan Hills.
Saudi Arabian King Salman, present in the meeting, clarified that this US decision regarding Golan, challenging the sovereignty of Syria, will not be accepted. The Saudi king also proposed ‘The Syrian conflict can be resolved through political negotiations and only in that scenario, the Syrian security, integrity and sovereignty can be guaranteed and the foreign interference in Syria will stop.’ But king Salman avoided talking about Syrian President Assad. The media in the Gulf are claiming that it is clear from the reaction of King Salman, that the stand of Saudi and its Arab allies, regarding the Assad regime, is still unchanged.
Also, the Saudi King raised the topic of Israel-Palestine, without talking too much about the Golan Hills. The Saudi King demanded that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are parts of Palestine and East Jerusalem should be declared as the capital of Palestine. The Saudi King said that Palestine is the issue of prime importance to him. The countries present in the Arab league meeting supported the Saudi stand. Tunisian President Beji Essebsi also announced that the Palestine issue was prime for the Arab League and the Arab countries.
Although the Arab countries criticised the US decision on Golan during the Arab League meeting, the major Arab countries have avoided completely antagonising the United States. The differences with the Syrian government and the changing position of the Arab countries regarding Israel are majorly responsible for this. The United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash had recently warned that the Arab countries are at a loss deciding that Israel is their enemy. Against the background of his statement, it is apparent that the Arab countries are not willing to take rivalry with Israel, by supporting Palestine and Golan issues.
As per Saudi and its Arab allies, Iran is a bigger enemy than Israel. Therefore, some Arab countries are singing the tune that Israel, the enemy of Iran, is their friend and the effect of this, was seen in the Arab league meeting held in Tunis.
Related posts:
Iran will respond to the attack on Syria within a week, claims Western media
US and Turkey warn Syrian President Assad
Russia holds huge war exercises in the marine region near Syria, Russian officials claim this to be a security precaution
US warns Russia and Iran along with Syria by deploying another warship in the Mediterranean Sea
Chemical attacks in Aleppo in Syria; 6 killed, 100 injured
US military withdrawal from Syria possible only after completely defeating ‘ISIS’, says US National Security Advisor
IS attack in Syria claims 30 lives, includes two US soldiers and two civilians
Hezbollah bases active in Golan region; accuses Israel military
