Are you ashamed at the inaction of Arab governments in the face of relentless Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people? Are you ashamed of their timid acquiescence to Geroge W. Bush's drive to pressure Arafat, no matter what he does -- even while giving full freedom to Ariel Sharon as he does whatever he wants? When they speak to their people, Arab leaders speak of their undying commitment to Palestinian rights, but then not only do they do nothing by way of concrete actions, they in fact give up even the rhetoric of support when they are talking to the Americans. (See article below on King Abdullah II of Jordan.)

We all know that the Arab people -- unlike their governments -- passionately support the Palestinian cause. We also know that the Arab people are disgusted by their leaders' cowardice, their hypocrisy, their double talk -- and most importantly, their inaction.

Can't Arab leaders for instance send a strong message by calling in for explanation the US embassador at their respective capitals, whenever Israel commits another atrocity?

Can't they recall their embassador en masse, once in a while, in protest?

Can't they take the bold step of declaring, as a matter of policy, that Arab governments will from now on favor business with non-US businesses, whenever possible?

Can't they visit Congressional leaders, once in a while, and warn them that whatever business the congressmen's states are doing with Arab countries, may be put in jeopardy by US blind support for Israel?

Can't they send their spokespersons to CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, etc., to reiterate the unhappiness of the Arab people? Can't their write op-eds supporting the Palestinian cause? When was the last time you heard a passionate, angry Arab Ambassador making the case for the Palestinian cause?

In short: can't they represent the true feeling of their people by acting on them?

Arabs talk long and wide about "the Arab dignity". Question is: WHERE is the Arab dignity?

Friday, February 01, 2002

Jordan's Abdullah meets with President Bush in Washington

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - King Abdullah II of Jordan praised President George W.
Bush's campaign to counter terrorism Friday and said other countries "better make up their minds pretty quickly" to join it.

Welcoming the endorsement in the Oval Office, the president cautioned that "all options are on the table on how to make our allies more secure."

Bush also admonished Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the attempt by the Palestinians to smuggle in 50 tons of weapons from Iran. He said the rockets, mortar and explosives were intended "for terrorist purpose" and that the smuggling, which Israeli commandos aborted in the Red Sea on Jan. 3, was contrary to a promise by the Palestinian leader that he would fight against terror.

Calling on Bush at the White House, Abdullah supported the president's designation of three countries, Iran, Iraq and North Korea, as an "axis of evil."

It was a significant step for the Arab monarch. Jordan sits alongside Iraq in the restive Middle East and is inclined to be careful about irritating its larger neighbor. During the Persian Gulf war a decade ago, for instance, Jordan sided with Iraq while most Arab countries supported the U.S. campaign to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi annexation.

"It is very obvious that there are those on the side of good and those on the side of bad and some in the middle, who haven't made up their minds," the king said during an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office. Bush at his side, Abdullah said there was a new expectation about what countries must do in the anti-terror campaign spearheaded by the Untied States.

"There's some countries in the middle that haven't made up their mind.... And those countries better make up their minds pretty quickly," Abdullah said.

The president agreed. "I hope nations make the right decision," Bush said. "A wrong decision would be to continue to export weapons of mass destruction."

At the same time, Bush said he was open to a dialogue with North Korea. He called on the reclusive Pyongyang regime to "pull back some conventional weaponry" on the Korean peninsula and "make a clear declaration of their peace intentions."

The president steered clear of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's statement this week that he regretted not having killed Arafat. Instead, Bush suggested it was best to keep the focus on "what derails peace, and what derails peace is terror."

Even before calling on Bush for a breakfast meeting, Abdullah praised the president's approach to the tangled Middle East situation.

The session with an Arab leader projects for Bush a message that even while putting pressure on Arafat, the administration is mindful of Arab sentiments. Bush, meanwhile, has made clear his disappointment with Arafat and has invited Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to the White House next
week, his fourth visit in less than a year.