JEDDAH, 2 March 2003 — Saudi intellectuals and political commentators contacted by Arab News last night offered a wide array of opinions on the failed Arab League summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, but on one thing they all agreed: The Arabs are hopelessly divided.

They were speaking after the extraordinary public showdown between Crown Prince Abdullah and Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, during which the crown prince reacted angrily to accusations that the Kingdom was a US puppet.

Leading businessman Hussein Shobokshi in Jeddah called the meltdown “a dose of reality”.

“There are too many lingering issues and priorities,” he elaborated.

“The real issue is not the pending war on Iraq, but reform of the Arab condition.”

Asked about his thoughts on the future of the Arab League, he said: “I don’t see a future for the Arab world, let alone the Arab League.”

Dawood Al-Shirian, the Riyadh-based Gulf chief of the leading pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, said that this was a repeat of the Arab League summit in 1990 before the last Gulf War.

“The Arab world’s condition needs to be addressed and reformed,” he told Arab News. “There are too many Arab nations whose view on the current condition is out of date and out of step with reality.”

Moderate nations like the Kingdom, he said, are concerned with the important issues like the aftermath of the war and the possible ramifications it might have on the people of Iraq.

“These are the issues that should have been at the forefront of the Arab summit.”

Asked to comment on the fact that Egyptian TV decided to cut the live feed when the crown prince and Qaddafi exchanged insults, he added: “The Arabic media is run by government officials. They make these decisions without proper consideration of the consequences.”

Tariq Al-Homayed, the Jeddah-based managing editor of Asharq Alawsat daily published from London, said that the summit had been destined to fail.

“No one can stop this war except Saddam,” he added. “I think Qaddafi’s outburst was irresponsible. All I see is turmoil for the Arab League in the future.”

A Jeddah-based former senior oil executive, who asked not to be identified, told Arab News: “Qaddafi’s role as a perpetual spoiler at summit conferences is well documented. His role as a spoiler was tolerated in pervious summits, but it obviously was not tolerated by Saudi Arabia this time round.”

“The future of the Arab League is only as relevant as the members who make it up,” he said.