ALGIERS —
Arab leaders are to meet in the
Algerian capital on Tuesday for their first summit since a string of
normalization deals with Israel that have divided the region.
اضافة اعلان
The 22-member Arab League held its last summit in
2019, prior to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the
UAE’s historic US-backed deal
establishing diplomatic ties with Israel.
The agreement, only Israel’s third such deal with an
Arab state, was followed by similar accords with Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco,
deepening the kingdom’s decades-old rivalry with its neighbour Algeria.
The host of the November 1–2 summit, a steadfast
supporter of the Palestinians, mediated a reconciliation deal in October
between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.
While few believe the deal will last, it was seen as
a public relations coup for Algeria, which has been seeking an enhanced
regional and international role, on the back of its growing status as a
sought-after gas exporter.
But Algeria has been unnerved by Morocco’s security
and defense cooperation with Israel, adding to decades of mistrust fuelled by a
dispute over the Western Sahara.
The status of Western Sahara –– a former Spanish
colony considered a “non-self-governing territory” by the UN –– has pitted
Morocco against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front since the 1970s.
In August 2021, Algiers cut diplomatic ties with
Rabat alleging “hostile acts”.
Participants in the summit, with conflicts in Syria,
Libya, and Yemen also on the agenda, face the challenge of navigating the
wording of a final statement, which has to be passed unanimously.
“The summit
should send a message of support to the Palestinians, guaranteeing that they
will not be sacrificed for the Abraham Accords,” said Geneva-based expert Hasni
Abidi, referring to the Arab normalization deals with Israel mediated by the
administration of former US president Donald Trump.
Algeria has heralded this week’s meeting as an event
reunifying the Arab world, but several key figures, notably Saudi Crown Prince
Mohamed bin Salman, reported to have an ear infection, and Morocco’s King
Mohammed VI will be absent.
The leaders of the UAE and Bahrain will also stay
away, according to Arab media.
“The Arab states which have normalized with Israel
are not enthusiastic about the idea of a coming together to condemn their
position,” said Abidi.
Palestinians at
‘front and center’
Algerian President
“Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s move to put the Palestinian issue front and center
haven’t reassured them”, he said.
Another source of controversy has been Algeria’s
efforts to bring Syrian President
Bashar Al-Assad’s government back into the
Arab League, a decade after its membership was suspended amid a crackdown on
2011 Arab Spring-inspired protests.
Abidi said inviting Syria to the summit would have
been “highly risky”.
“Algeria realized the consequences of such a
presence on the summit. Together with Damascus, it has given up on its
initiative,” he said.
Pierre Boussel of France’s Foundation for Strategic
Research said Syria’s return to the League is backed by Russia, an ally of both
Algiers and Damascus, which is staying away from the Algiers summit.
But, he said, “Russia has decided not to try to
force this through in a way that would have affected its relations with Arab
countries already badly scalded by the economic impact of the Ukrainian
conflict.”
Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit called Friday
for an “integrated Arab vision” to tackle the region’s pressing food security
challenges.
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