The Palestinians' Real Enemies

[Mosby]

For most of the twentieth century, inter-Arab politics were dominated by the doctrine of pan-Arabism, postulating the existence of "a single nation bound by the common ties of language, religion and history. … behind the facade of a multiplicity of sovereign states";[1] and no single issue dominated this doctrine more than the "Palestine question" with anti-Zionism forming the main common denominator of pan-Arab solidarity and its most effective rallying cry. But the actual policies of the Arab states have shown far less concern for pan-Arab ideals, let alone for the well-being of the Palestinians, than for their own self-serving interests. Indeed, nothing has done more to expose the hollowness of pan-Arabism than its most celebrated cause.

http://www.meforum.org/3766/palestinians-enemies

[azurnoir]

1. Note the sites this one used in the OP sponsors among them is Daniel Pipes

Other MEF Websites: Campus Watch | Daniel Pipes | Islamist Watch | The Legal Project

http://www.meforum.org/3766/palestinians-enemies

[Violet_Crumble]

3. You should read their FB page. Someone there wants to carpet bomb Gaza...

Red Branch: I would love to carpet bomb Gaza. Is that firm enough?

Like · Reply · April 25 at 4:13am

https://www.facebook.com/Middle.East.Forum

[azurnoir]

4. They're completely off the rails

with claims that Max Blumenthal is more guilty of the KC murders tha the guy that committed them

[Scootaloo]

2. Of course, not the people who shoot Palestinians, beat them, imprison them, destroy their homes...

But of course, we can't expect any more intellectual honesty from Efraim Karsh than we would from the founder of MEF, Daniel Pipes.

[sabbat hunter]

5. That is a terrible website

however much of what is being said in the OP is sadly true.

Nasser was a big proponent of Pan-Arabism, as long as it suited him and Egypt was the leader (and obviously him since he was the leader of Egypt).

Other Arab leader were of similar mindsets. (keep in mind this is the mid to late 20th century we are talking about for the most part).

Since then, it has been more about nationalism, trying to keep dictators in power via any means necessary.

Even the Arab spring has been fairly uneven. Libya is a work in progress, but is mainly feuding warlords competing over various regions of the country.
Egypt saw the overthrow of a military backed dictator, a new constitution, election of an Islamist government in the Brotherhood. Then that government was overthrown by the military (supposedly at the behest of secularists in the population). Now a new general is probably going to win the elections for president in Egypt. So we will probably see even more crushing of dissent (especially religious based ones in the once again banned Muslim Brotherhood and similar groups) and pushing of nationalism. If Al-sisi can improve the terrible economy in Egypt, most of the people will probably be satisfied.

We all know about the situation in Syria.

Saudi Arabia continues to oppress any dissent, women's rights, many freedoms. Its leadership seems to be passing from one doddering Saud family brother to another. Until they allow the next generation to assume power, we will see little if any change there.

Tunisia is a bright spot for the Arab Spring, but it is still fledgling.

For a long time Arab leaders used the plight of the Palestinians to distract their own populace from the woes they face. But with new technology, twitter, FB, instagram, etc, that has become harder to do.