On Friday, 30 January last year, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa must have smacked his lips in satisfaction, when Turkey spoke powerfully and influentially on behalf of the Arabs during the peace negotiations with Israel. The idea of having a Big Brother at the head of the negotiating table in the Middle East must have struck the AL's Secretary-General, as he sat next to Turkish Prime Minister Raceb Tayeb Erdogan on the podium at the World Economic Forum in Davos last year. Moussa was elated when Erdogan and the Israeli Prime Minister started rowing during the panel discussion. The Turkish PM then stormed out. Moussa must have been delighted when Erdogan expressed his anger after he was rudely prevented from rebutting provocative allegations levelled by the Israeli Prime Minister. Muttering angrily that he was the victim of prejudice and that he had been treated unjustly by the panel's moderator, the Turkish PM left the stage, saying that he would not return to Davos. As the Turkish PM walked past the AL Secretary-General, Moussa rose to his feet and applauded him: if protocol had allowed it, Moussa would have hugged the Turkish PM so tightly that the latter's bones would have cracked. Moussa looked at the Israeli PM defiantly, as if to imply that the Arabs would no longer be alone, powerless and dazed during the peace talks. Last week, at the annual Arab summit, being held in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte, Moussa fulfilled his last year's dream. Addressing the opening session, he urged Arab leaders and heads of state to examine his proposal to enlarge AL's membership by inviting the Muslim country of Turkey first …quot; and Iran next …quot; to join his organisation. There was unease when Iran was mentioned. Moussa said that the AL should be metamorphosed into a regional grouping, seeking new members to the south in Africa and the north in the Mediterranean area. The hero of Davos was invited to take part in the Arab League summit and receive an award. The Arabs will doubtless welcome Turkey, as well as its taking the lead in the peace negotiations with Israel. In his closing speech, Moussa appealed to the Arab countries to start talking with Teheran to resolve their differences and to accept the request from the Shi'ite state to become a member in the new regional grouping. Moussa appears to have driven the last nail in the coffin of the Arab League, which has exhausted its history in fruitless discussions and embarrassing condemnation of the Jewish state. By inviting Turkey and Iran, which both enjoy huge economic, military and political influence, the Arabs must have been expressing their disappointment at the powerlessness of the administration of US President Barack Obama. Washington let down the Arab countries and the Palestinians after Israel, rejecting Obama's warnings, stubbornly decided to build more Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Moreover, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared during his latest visit to Washington that Jerusalem was not a settlement. “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” he told a meeting in the US capital. Although Moussa's proposals will widen the divisions between Arab countries, they do have positive points: Israel might wisely decide to immediately freeze the construction of settlements, winning the hearts and confidence of the Arabs and Palestinians. If Israel refused to show any goodwill, it would be nightmarish. Hardliners in the Arab world would approve the inclusion of Iran …quot; the Devil threatening to eliminate the Jewish state …quot; in the new version of the Arab League. Israel's refusal to save Arab leaders and heads of state from much embarrassment in the eyes of their nations would have a very negative impact on an international and regional campaign championed by the US and Israel to impose tougher and more painful sanctions on Iran, unless it closes its nuclear facilities. Being insulted by the incapacity and impotency of the US-international community to restrain Israel, Arab and Muslim countries would lose enthusiasm for the global war on terror. In his historic proposals, Moussa has left the door ajar for Israel to overtake Iran and join the new regional grouping, if it has a change of heart towards the Palestinians and sincerely helps them to create an independent Palestinian state. The Middle East is becoming more complicated and volatile.
