Since the barbaric war on the people of Gaza has dragged on, some have been crying out: "Open the borders and fight." This demand is directed at the Palestinians’ Arab neighbors, especially Egypt and Jordan. As for the other states, particularly oil-producing states, they are asked to stop exporting oil. All of this is engendered by strong emotion, which can often eclipse reason, perhaps fully.
Those making these demands manage to persuade some, that is, the emotional thinkers. Many support them in a political-cultural space weighed down by illusions. Foremost among these illusions is the belief that previous experiences can be repeated, or that a cause being just suffices to ensure victory.
Let’s contemplate this realistic political scene. It can teach us many lessons about how states think. It is December 1968, President Lyndon Johnson’s presidential term is near its end, and Richard Nixon has been named President-elect. Just over a year earlier, the catastrophic war of June 1967 had broken out. This conflict cost Arab states large swaths of territory, and we continue to feel the repercussions of this calamity to this day.
A prominent Arab politician meets Johnson and his aides during those dark days. He was a sentimental Arab nationalist, as was typical of the men of that era. During the discussion, the minister reproached the president, arguing that the United States provides Israel with boundless support although it is the aggressor.
After taking a hard, long look at the man, Johnson replied: "We saved the Arabs from a war launched by three of our allies in 1956, namely Britain, France, and Israel. The three armies withdrew in mid-1957. However, their withdrawal was conditional on several agreements overseen by the Security Council. Among the provisions was that the Aqaba Strait remain open to Israeli shipping, and that UN forces be stationed at the border with Israel. All of this was torn apart overnight. The pleas of the UN Secretary-General were ignored at the time, and the agreement was thrown to the wind.”
“Those who tear up international agreements cannot be trusted!" Johnson said. The historic meeting ended with a message: succumbing to the drive to outbid rivals opens the door to the unknown, especially in global politics.
Today, similar demands are being made, and they are motivated by this same drive to outbid rivals. They can be summed up in the calls to tear up international agreements and instigate costly wars that would exact an unimaginable toll, especially given Israel’s advanced military technology and the unlimited support it enjoys from the West, particularly the United States. That much is obvious and indisputable. The sympathy we are seeing from segments of the Western public could shift to the other side, as the Zionist machine knows how to push propaganda.
Outbidding rivals is an inherent feature of the Arab political mindset, for the most part. Despite all of the blood and sacrifices that the people of Gaza have offered, Khaled Meshaal - from his safe haven - has stressed that his movement opposes the two-state solution. His aim is to thwart the efforts of Arab diplomats. He refuses to build upon their work, even after prominent countries have come to see it as the only feasible solution for ending the conflict.
The Israeli right wing rejoices at such statements, but it is fundamentally opposed to even discussing this matter. The irony is that the demands of the Israeli right align with the ideas put forward by Mr. Khaled, who is far from the graves in which Palestinians are buried every hour in Gaza!
This affliction known as outbidding has drained much of the region’s energy, money, and precious time, and it continues to do so. It has been able to do so because it finds an audience that delights in hearing triumphant songs on the radio and reading about the defeat of enemies on paper, ignoring that this is a ruthless world where only force is recognized and respected. Today, strength does not come from eloquent speeches but from adopting a rational approach to both political and social matters.
The current outbidding seeks to plunge the parts of the Arab world that have not been plagued by conflicts, into the unknown. This would broaden poverty and destitution, which can already be seen in countries like Sudan, Yemen, Syria, or Lebanon, and possibly other countries where statehood has lost all meaning and states have been replaced by extremist militias.
In conclusion: most Palestinian leaders have historically failed to put Palestinians’ national ambitions ahead of personal ambitions!
