The Arab Countries' Silence on Palestine

The plan to displace Palestinians, which Israel has pursued since its establishment in 1948, continues uninterrupted. Hundreds of people have lost their lives in the attacks Israel has launched on Gaza since October 7, and the inadequacy of humanitarian aid has only increased these losses. Palestinians refer to the exile and forced migration they have experienced since 1948 as the "Nakba," or "catastrophe." Today, it appears that Israel's goal is to force Palestinians into migration once again to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Although Palestinians in Gaza want to escape Israeli attacks, it is debatable how welcoming Arab countries have been in the face of this tragedy. Surrounded by games of oil and instability, Arab countries view Gaza as a "ring of fire" and have not taken any concrete action against steps that reinforce Israel's policies. Despite the tragedy in Gaza, the stance of Egypt and Jordan has remained far from alleviating this drama.

Concerns of Egypt and Jordan

Palestinians wanting to flee Gaza have found the doors closed at the Egyptian and Jordanian borders. Concerned about instability, Jordan—recalling the "Black September of 1970," which remains a deep breaking point in relations between the Arab world and Palestinian organizations—did not want a repeat of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) becoming an armed force within its territory. For this reason, citing the already high Palestinian population in the country, it closed its doors to a new wave of migration.

Egypt, for its part, argued that forcing civilians to migrate to Egypt was an attempt that threatened regional peace. Egypt's stance has been influenced by its struggle against the Muslim Brotherhood, its fear of coming into direct confrontation with Hamas, and its security concerns. The Egyptian administration, which closed the tunnels opening into Gaza in 2007, fears that the 1979 peace treaty it signed with Israel could be jeopardized and that Israel might attack Egyptian territory where Palestinian refugees would be settled.

The silence of the Arab world is not limited to these two countries. The policies of the Gulf countries reflect a similar picture.

Gulf Countries and the Normalization Process with Israel

Although Saudi Arabia has stated that "there will be no normalization with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state," the credibility of this rhetoric has diminished following the Abraham Accords. Gulf countries, which are considering investing in the Riviera plan in Gaza, are not keen on investing in territories controlled by Hamas. The fact that the United Nations has not taken any concrete steps to resolve the issue shows that rhetoric such as "we stand with Palestine" often remains symbolic.

To correctly interpret this silence and hesitation, one must look at the historical background of why the Arab world has kept the Palestinian issue in the background.

The Loss of Priority of the Palestinian Issue in the Arab World

Israel emerged as a nation-state model that brought together Jews in the diaspora during its establishment process and eventually became a regional power through policies of expanding its borders. Arab countries, on the other hand, have undergone major changes throughout history. The loss of influence of socialism, the ideological transformation of Islamist movements, and the replacement of resistance leaders like Gamal Abdel Nasser with administrations that avoid conflict with the West have led to the Palestinian issue losing priority in the Arab world.

Unlike in the West, anti-Israel protests are almost non-existent in Arab countries with authoritarian regimes. The reason for this can be interpreted as the risk that popular movements might eventually question their own governments. Today, the most critical concern of the Arab world is the social and economic pressure that a new wave of refugees would create.

The indifference of the Arab world to the Palestinian issue is not just a current phenomenon; it is a known fact that similar examples have occurred throughout history. The birth of the Islamic Conference in 1969 is an important indicator of this process.

From the Islamic Conference to Today: Rhetoric Exists, Sanctions Do Not

The burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on August 22, 1969, paved the way for the birth of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The organization, which gained official status in 1972, had a political rather than a religious framework. Its primary goals were the protection of holy sites, support for the Palestinian people, and a stance against colonialism.

For years, the agenda of the meetings held began with Palestine and ended with Palestine. However, these meetings could not provide any concrete gains for the Palestinian people. Today, there is still not a single sanction decision against Israel. In the past, the policies of Arab countries, summarized as "no to peace, no to negotiations, no to recognition," did not pose a threat to Israel; on the contrary, the dysfunctionality of these policies further strengthened Israel's hand.

In conclusion, although Arab countries may appear strong in their rhetoric, they are not taking concrete steps against the tragedy in Gaza. Therefore, silence and diplomatic inadequacy deepen the desperation of the Palestinian people.