JEDDAH: Arab leaders yesterday lauded the historic speech made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at the Arab Economic Summit in Kuwait, saying it heralds a new era of Arab unity and solidarity.
“We have to make use of this opportunity to overcome the phase of conflict,” said Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah while commenting on the king’s speech at the summit’s opening session on Monday.
“King Abdullah has opened the door for us and it is our duty to remove the differences between us. We have to put differences behind and work together to achieve our goals,” the Kuwaiti emir told Arab leaders.
In his impassionate and inspiring speech, the Saudi king said: “Allow me to announce in all our names that we have overcome the period of disunity, opening the door of Arab brotherhood, and that of unity for all Arabs without exception or reservation, and that we will face the future with total unity and without any discord.”
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa said King Abdullah’s speech reflected his strong desire to strengthen Arab unity. “It shows the spirit of Arab chivalry that supports the truth and helps the unification of Arab ranks to confront the various challenges facing the Ummah.”
King Hamad said the Saudi leader’s speech had drawn the road map for the future of the Ummah and explained ways to strengthen unity among Arabs and overcome their differences. He pledged Bahrain’s full support to the call.
He praised King Abdullah for taking the initiative to patch up differences among Arab leaders. He was referring to a meeting that brought together King Abdullah, President Bashar Assad of Syria, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and King Abdallah of Jordan at the king’s residence in Kuwait on Monday.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani said the king’s speech paved the way for reconciliation between Arab countries. “There was clear word from these leaders for a real, clear reconciliation, from the heart ... We have emerged from the meeting, opening a new chapter in support of joint Arab stand,” the Qatari premier said. “This was possible as a result of King Abdullah’s speech.”
Palestinian leader Saeb Erekat said the unity of Arab countries would strengthen the Palestinian cause and contribute to a successful dialogue between the Palestinian factions. “We hope the Arab summit in Kuwait would open a new chapter in inter-Arab relations and strengthen our unity to influence world opinion.”
In his speech King Abdullah told Palestinians that their internal dispute is more threatening to their cause than the Israeli invasion. He said Arab disunity and dissension were aiding the treacherous Israeli enemy and those who seek to disunite the Arabs for their regional objectives.
“Today, I beseech you in the name of God, in the name of our martyred children, women and elderly in Gaza, in the name of the blood spilled by the sheer force of tyranny on our dear occupied land in Palestine, in the name of dignity and honor, in the name of our peoples who have succumbed to despair, I beseech you, including myself, to be stronger than our wounds, to rise above our differences, to defeat the assumptions of our enemies, and take an honorable stand that will be remembered by history, a stand that our nation will be proud of,” the king said.
