In 2017, a prominent US newspaper published a report about the tireless efforts of the United States to bring peace in the Middle East, including those taken by the Trump Administration in its early days. Peace remains as distant as it has been in the past despite the numerous initiatives taken. Five years later, the infighting has intensified and the situation has deteriorated.
The once-powerful Pan-Arab Nationalism, which emerged in the wake of the creation of Israel, has fallen victim to the exponential growth and widespread acceptance of political Islam. Having once been strong and united, West Asia disintegrated due to power struggles and extremist ideologies, resulting in regional insecurity and uncertainty. India, which is closely tied to the Middle East and depends on oil and gas, has high stakes in the region, but a narrow path to maneuver. The historical reasons for the rise of political Islam and its future implications are even more crucial.
Pan-Arab nationalism ascends:
After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Pan-Arab Nationalism gained ground. The growth of Arabism led to countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria. It was the creation of Israel in the heartlands of the MENA region that fueled the flames of Arab nationalism.
Zionism’s increasing influence played a vital role in the formation of the Arab Brotherhood, with its fundamental view of removing Israeli occupation and protecting Palestinian interests. As a result of the 1948 exodus of Arabs from the modern-day Palestinian and Israeli territories, Arab nationalism was stimulated, and Arab powerhouses such as Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia forged a coalition under the Arab League to fight for the rights of Palestinians.
Arab identity challenges:
Colonial powers’ divide and rule strategy incited nationalist sentiments throughout the region. However, it failed to bring minorities, such as Kurds, Shias, and vastly complex Christian communities, under a single Arab identity. The union between Egypt and Syria broke up in 1961, and Kurds began asserting their ethnic and linguistic identities in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey.
Islam has fallen into extremist hands :
The Arab Nationalism that was prevalent in the Arab world was not just a political concept; it also permeated deeply into the region’s civil society. Due to public sentiment against the Camp David Accords 1978 and 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1979. Due to its religious and ideological foundations, political Islam gained popularity in the region, providing fertile ground for terror outfits to flourish.
A tragic cycle of violence for the region has resulted from world alliances, especially Western-backed alliances, trying to track down terror outfits. By turning the region into a divided and fragmented society, political Islam has tormented the region, resulting in long-lasting wounds and discomforts that are difficult to overcome. Erdogan’s government has been trying to give leadership to political Islam in order to consolidate Turkey’s power in the region and to awaken Turkish nationalism without regard for peace and stability in the region.
Politics of big power :
Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 under Saddam Hussein was a significant event that dented the fundamental principles of Arab unity and Arab identity as a result of Arab nations falling victim to external balancing and becoming enmeshed in Big Power politics. The growing sentiments towards political Islam have arisen as a result of irrational decision-making and a persistent tussle for expanding influence while keeping a blind eye to realities.
Qatar’s ambition to become a separate pole within the region has further exacerbated hostilities between the countries of the region. The current situation in Yemen is a testament to how political Islam and its manipulations can lead to disastrous and severe consequences; Lebanon is showing early signs of moving in the same direction, and it will be a test for the Arab Brotherhood to prevent it from becoming Yemen 2.0.
The path forward:
However, there remains a ray of hope for the Arab world to remain united and consolidate its position. EU and ASEAN countries are bodies of sovereign states that have a common agenda. Arabs must take charge of leading and owning the process for the sake of their interests, by adopting rational and moderate approaches, as well as focusing more on collaboration. In the end, this appears to be the only solution to regaining the glories of the region once known as the ‘Cradle of Civilization’.
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