Between praise and condemnation.. Contradictory positions on normalization with the Zionists
Following the wave of normalization of Arab countries with the occupying state by leaders who impoverished peoples and sold countries’ wealth, different positions from these steps were documented as follows:
The Palestinian position
The Palestinian authorities declared its adherence to one specific demand, that is: the establishment of a Palestinian state with full sovereignty. During the past years, the Palestinian authorities has shown great flexibility over issues of conflict, however the Israeli occupation rejected all proposals to complete the peace process. Furthermore, it worked on undermining foundations of the Palestinian state, especially in the occupied city of Jerusalem, where it increased its war against the Palestinian authority’s presence there.
The Resistance position
For its part, the Palestinian resistance declared its rejection to all forms of normalization with Israel. According to Hamas Movement’s spokesperson abroad, Maher Salah,: “normalization with Israel is a betrayal to the nation’s peoples, values and morals. It is also a betrayal to the sacrifices of the Palestinian people”.
Official Arab positions
The positions of the Arab countries were closer to consensus, given that three Arab countries had previously recognized Israel, including Egypt, Jordan, and Mauritania, and others had deep diplomatic relations before the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising, such as Morocco, while others had economic relations, such as the Sultanate of Oman.
Recently, Israel has announced visits by Israeli leaders and sports teams, as well as its prime minister to Oman. The UAE government also celebrated an Israeli player winning of the gold medal in October last year, and the Minister of Culture and Sports in the Occupying stated visited the UAE to attend judo matches. At the same time an Israeli team participated in an international gymnastics championship in Qatar.
According to observers’ reports, there are fifteen Arab regimes that have relations with the occupying state, including commercial, economic, diplomatic, security and political relations. All of these regimes stress on the importance of closing the Israeli file, even if it will be at the expense of the Palestinian victims. However, some countries still refuse to join the wave of normalization, such as Kuwait and Tunisia.
The position of the international community
Currently there are 157 member states of the United Nations recognising Israel as a state. They do not see any political, security or human rights restrictions in dealing with it, while 32 countries refuse to recognize the Israel as a state and consider it an occupying entity even if they had to unofficially deal with it.
As for the occupying state, it shows its support the two-state solution, but in reality it is attempting with all means to stop the return of Palestinian refugees, the elimination of Jewish settlements, the recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, or even the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state. This explains that the occupying state seeks to gain normalization agreements without recognizing any right for the establishment of the Palestinian state.
The position of the Arab peoples
While the normalization agreements with the occupation became official in some Arab countries, however, all Arab peoples still refused to recognize these agreements which they consider treason. They often expressed this through widespread demonstrations and support for the resistance via popular solidarity or donations.
This is the position of the peoples who insist on their Arabism, despite their weak voices following the events of the Arab Spring, counter-revolutions and military coups which took place in some of them and exhausted the peoples. The Arab peoples consider the Palestinian cause to be at the top priority of Arab and Islamic issues, and it is where conflict begins and ends.