The GCC states, under Saudi leadership, are having an affair with Zionist Israel for a long time. Deep rooted paranoia against Iran encouraged the leaders of the GCC to make friendship with the foremost adversary of the Muslims in general and Arab Muslims in particular. The US has been effectively playing the role of cupid in the Israel-GCC love affair.
Apparently, some of the GCC leadership have now come to the conclusion that there is no further need to hide the relationship and the time is ripe to give diplomatic legitimacy to it. Israel has always been enthusiastic about the public announcement of the marriage. The hesitancy was on the part of the GCC leaders for the fear of stoking dissent within their sheikhdoms. In fact, in 2018, Prime Minister Netanyahu proudly announced in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, that Israel and Arab countries have moved much closer than ever before. The official statement in the Knesset was followed by his surprise visit to Oman on 26 October same year.
Israel’s official diplomatic offensive to foster closer ties with GCC states started by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1994 with a visit to Oman. Shimon Peres further advanced the initiative by opening Israel trade representative offices in Oman and Qatar. He was personally present in the opening ceremonies in both the Gulf countries in 1996. But this was only on the surface. The GCC-Israel back-channel communication was going on since the conclusion of the second intifada of the Palestinians, the tragic victim of illegal Israeli occupation and brutal Zionist persecution.
Absence of democracy in the Arab states means that the rulers need American security guarantees firstly, to remain in power and secondly, to neutralize perceived or real threats from Iran. But there is always a value to the offer of this security, which is acceptance of Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Only King Faisal of Saudi Arabia had the courage and stature to withstand American pressure. Nobody would ever know whether his murder in 1975 was the price for his strong support for Palestinian rights and foreign policy theme of pan-Islamism. However, it is to be noted that the killer, Prince Faisal bin Musaid was the King’s half-brother’s son who returned from the United States a few days before the murder. The cruel assassin shot from point-blank range in a majlis while King Faisal was kissing his nephew on the forehead according to Arab custom.
After the tragic killing of King Faisal, the subsequent Saudi rulers started gradually to deviate from supporting the Palestinian cause. The emergence of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed as the real powers behind the thrones in Saudi Arabia and the UAE respectively, has accelerated the shift towards pro-Israel foreign policy of the GCC. Only Qatar, under present ruler Sheikh Hamad, seems to continue to pursue an independent foreign policy in spite of maintaining a close relationship with Washington.
The recent joint announcement of UAE and Israel to commence a full diplomatic relationship has further divided the Ummah. As expected, despotic and pro-Israeli President of Egypt General Sisi, Oman and Bahrain have given full support to the accord. On the other hand, Iran, Turkey and Palestine strongly condemned it terming the announcement as a betrayal to the Palestinian cause. Pakistan gave a cautious statement by reiterating its support for a two- state solution and Palestinians’ rights without specifically condemning the deal. The economically struggling nuclear power does not want to further jeopardize its already frosty relation with dollar-rich UAE. Saudi Arabia has taken a patient approach and yet to give its public reaction. However, it is not conceivable that MBZ has taken such strategic decision without consulting his friend, MBS. Dr. Mahathir, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia has correctly assessed the situation and told the media that the Muslim world would now be divided into warring factions.
The latest blow to the Ummah unity has come in the wake of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia dispute on the issue of calling the OIC foreign minister level meeting to discuss the right of self-determination for Kashmiri people and persecution of minority Muslims by the ruling extremist Hindutvabadi government in India. The foreign minister of Pakistan has publicly criticized the inaction of the OIC and gave a veiled threat to establish an alternative Islamic organization that would look after the interest of the Ummah more effectively.
As a punitive measure against the economically struggling sole nuclear power in the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia has terminated the agreement to supply oil on credit to Pakistan and also recalled previous loans much earlier than due. In recent years, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have become very friendly to Pakistan’s arch-rival India in spite of unprecedented rise of Islamophobia there. Saudi-led faction among the GCC has apparently abandoned the persecuted fellow Muslims of both Palestine and Kashmir. Under the circumstances, the respect of Saudi Arabia as the custodian of the two most holy sites for the Muslims may seriously erode.
At this point, the following four major contentious issues might rip apart the Ummah beyond any hope of reconciliation:
- Saudi Arabia-Iran conflict which is both religious and political in nature.
- Saudi Arabia-Turkey conflict which is fundamentally a struggle of nationalism and ethnicity.
- Saudi Arabia-Pakistan dispute on the issue of Kashmir.
- Rise of terrorist organization ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Incidentally, at least in three of the four disputes, we find Saudi Arabia as the common factor. Even in the case of persecution of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other religious Muslim groups in Egypt, the kingdom has taken the side of General Sisi against the interest of the Ummah.
In the civil war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is practically engaged in a proxy war against Iran. The Syrian situation is more complicated as in addition to the historical Shia-Sunni conflict, Turkey is also involved in the fight against a secessionist Kurdish group which has found a safe haven inside Syria.
The brief but spectacular rise of terrorist organization ISIS in Iraq and Syria, allegedly with tacit support from the US-occupying forces has not only made the entire Middle Eastern region turbulent, but also provided a weapon to the enemies of Islam in its campaign to vilify Islam.
In the Libyan conflict, France and the UAE have joined hands in their attempt to evict the UN approved government by providing military assistance to General Haftar, warlord and former ally of Gaddafi, while Turkey is actively supporting the legal government in Tripoli. In addition to these well-known conflicts, many of the Muslim countries are suffering from serious and damaging internal divisions.
Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are the six most powerful nations among 57 members of the OIC in terms of military, economic and political significance. Although Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, it maintains a certain policy of aloofness in providing leadership in the OIC. Saudi Arabia and Egypt have become closest allies of the US, largely abandoning the interest of the Islamic world.
Pakistan, the only nuclear power among Muslim nations has not been able to provide strong leadership because of economic weakness and political instability. Post-Islamic revolution, Iran has shown tremendous tenacity, courage and will power to withstand the combined threat of the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, the general anti-Sunni bias of the religious and political leadership is an obstacle for Iran to provide leadership of a united Ummah.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Turkey has emerged as the most powerful and courageous voice for the interest of the Islamic world. President Erdogan has consistently spoken in favor of the rights of the Palestinian, Kashmiri and Rohingya Muslims. Although Turkey is mostly a Sunni Muslim country, the leadership has shown the maturity to rise above Shia-Sunni divide and as a result, the global Shia population generally admires the present leadership of Turkey. Persecuted Muslims around the world now look at Turkey as their savior because of President Erdogan’s policy of pan-Islamism.
The latest action of the UAE has pushed the Ummah deeper into the abyss by fracturing the unity further. Unless Saudi Arabia returns to the policies of the late King Faisal, any hope of unity in the Islamic world would always remain an illusion. Iran also needs to modify its anti-Sunni philosophy and extend its hands of compassion and brotherhood towards Saudi Arabia.
Nearly two billion Muslims in the world would never get the respect they deserve from the international community so long as they remain as warring factions. The present pitiable condition is unfortunately, the reation of the Ummah itself. The adversaries have only taken advantage of the disunity. There is no end in sight from the domination of the Christians, the Chinese and the Hindus.
*Mahmudur Rahman is a renowned author and editor of a national daily in Bangladesh. He has written more than ten books and is a regular contributor to various distinguished journals. He is a former energy advisor to the government of Bangladesh. He is also the foremost voice against the current autocratic regime in Bangladesh.
August 17, 2020
