It is to be welcomed that Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and his country’s Parliament refused to meet with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and rejected negotiations unless Israel called off its criminal invasion of Lebanon and agreed to investigate the second massacre in Qana that killed more than 60 innocent civilians, most of them children and women. Of course they were very late in reacting the way they did.
Their response to the crisis should have been decided long before the Zionists started destroying Lebanon. They should have thought of this before the American administration announced its full support to the Israeli invasion in defiance of all international norms governing the conduct of sovereign states.
Better still they should have taken the initiative after all the Arab efforts in trying to convince Washington to stop the Israeli attacks failed miserably. Especially after the US announcement that it would transfer fuel for Israeli jet airplanes and huge amounts of lethal bombs. These bombs are controlled by satellites and laser devices and they are able to break through the toughest and strongest fortresses. They are capable of creating massive destruction all around.
Arab countries should have been united in standing up to Israel and its allies long before the beginning of genocide, assassination groups, and the Zionist campaign against the Palestinians. Or when Israel announced a massive blockade of Palestine as soon as Hamas formed its government so they can starve and humiliate the Palestinian people and deny them basic necessities. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas took a more honorable position than the Lebanese government had.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the first Arab country to announce full support to the Lebanese government’s position and demands. Saudi Arabia had condemned the genocide that Israel had and is committing in Lebanon and Palestine.
A Saudi spokesman announced recently that the Kingdom condemns this barbarian act that respects no law or sacredness or agreements. “Saudi Arabia denounced Israel’s invasions re-emphasizing the fact that Israel has no right to violate Lebanon’s territory and peace. Israel would never dare to carry out its plans if it were not for its horrific military mindset, the world community’s failure to take a decision that stops Israel from attacking Lebanon, and the moral, political, and financial support Israel is receiving,” Saudi spokesman said.
How could any Arab country allow Zionist embassies or Zionist ambassadors to function on its soil? Why didn’t Arab countries that are in good terms with the merciless enemy announce immediate termination of these relationships and connections?
How can any Arab country use methods of pressure and intercession to win the release of one or two Israeli hostages and not be moved by the tragedy of more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners who have spent tens of years tormented in jail?
All right-thinking people were really shocked when Egypt, in the middle of this indiscriminate and brutal Israeli slaughter of Lebanese and Palestinian people, announced the “Miss Arab World” beauty pageant. The show had girls participating from thirteen Arab countries and it was held under the auspices of the Egyptian Tourism Ministry in Sharm Al-Sheikh, southern Sinai.
We expected that some higher-ups or sensible people would interfere to call these people’s attention to what was happening in Lebanon and Palestine. Or ask them politely to cancel this spectacle of nakedness and vulgarity. Yet the event was staged and winners were chosen in a charming evening function under the auspices of Zuhair Grana, the Egyptian tourism minister and Mohamed Hani Metwalli, the governor of southern Sinai. All this when Israelis were celebrating the attack on Lebanon and Gaza amid the screams of hundreds of women and children! Remember that these areas reeling under Israeli onslaught are not far away from Sharm Al-Sheikh. Worse still, some newspapers didn’t have any problem publishing the pictures of Miss Arab World and devoting column inches to this disgraceful three-day festival.
