Time for joint actions

His Majesty King Abdullah opened the 28th Arab summit yesterday calling on the Arab nation to “seek shared solutions to our shared problems” and expressing hope that the meeting will launch a new phase of joint Arab action.

The King outlined the major issues facing the Arab world and stressed that one of the Kingdom’s priorities has always been joint Arab action “based on solidarity, cooperation and belief in a common destiny”, the only guarantee that Arab aspirations and hope for a better and brighter future can be secured.

One of the most serious challenges “to the fate of our countries, peoples and our nation” is terrorism, the King said, urging the Arab world to work together with the international community, with a holistic approach, to counter this danger that “has set out to tarnish the image of our religion and hijack the future of young Arabs”.

Since the threat of terrorism is posed first and foremost to Arabs, it should be the Arabs, together, who should join forces to battle terrorists and protect Arabs’ minds, particularly of the youth, from the distortions to their religion and evil beliefs some groups of misguided people attempt to instil.

Another problem, regularly discussed at Arab summits but unsolved so far, is that of the Palestinians.

This Gordian knot that Israel stubbornly refuses to untangle — complicating it further through its expansionist policy, threat to the holy places in East Jerusalem, racism and acts that undermine the chances for peace — is a problem that needs to be solved, for, the Monarch said, “there can be no peace nor stability in the region without a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause, the core issue of the Middle East, based on the two-state solution”.

The King also expressed hope for a breakthrough in the Syrian crisis — through talks in Geneva and Astana — support for the Iraqi government’s fight against terrorism and for efforts to restore stability and security in Yemen and Libya, and reminded those at the summit, and the world, that Jordan is the country that hosts the largest number of refugees in the world.

The Kingdom carries this burden “on behalf of our nation and the entire international community”, due to its humanitarian stance, but it should not be forgotten that it stretches the already meagre resources of the country and that the world has an obligation to carry part of this weight.

The summit brought together the highest number of Arab leaders under one roof.

This unprecedented high attendance can be attributed to the great sense of responsibility and urgency shared by the Arab heads of states, but also to King Abdullah’s personal efforts; he personally invited Arab leaders to take part in a summit demanded by the critical juncture in history the Arab world finds itself at.

This summit brings to four such pan-Arab high-level meetings which Jordan hosted.

The entire Arab world, and beyond, had its eyes on its outcome.

Hopefully the resolutions reached, promises made and determination to build a better future for the people will show their fruits soon.

The region has had enough of blood, conflict, economic and social ills. Time to join hands and work for the good of all.