Muslim Arab states condemn Hamas, close ranks against jihadis

By Kirollos Abdalla —

For the first time ever, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and a host of other Arab nations unequivocally condemned the terrorism of Hamas and called for the Gaza leadership group to disarm and hand over power to another Palestinian group.

“On the part of Saudi Arabia and the Arab and Muslim countries who for the first time will condemn terrorism, the acts of terror on the 7th of October, a call for the disarmament of Hamas and expressed their hope to have a normalized relationship with Israel in due time,” said UJean-Noël Barrot, the French foreign minister, at the U.N. this week.

The bloc of Arab nations distancing itself from Hamas brings hope for an end to the conflict that has raged since jihadists broke through the border Oct. 7, 2023, and attacked Israeli civilians, killing, raping, torturing indiscriminately.

In response, Israel has bombed and attacked Gaza in search for the release of some 250 hostages (about 50 remain in captivity) and in the quest to dismantle the Hamas terrorist network, which propagandizes Gazans to give their lives for the cause of wiping Israel off the map. Israel has been heavily criticized for deaths of civilians and, recently, for a humanitarian crisis of hunger among the Gazans.

The 22-member Arab League’s declaration isolates Hamas like never before and increases pressure for resolution of the conflict that has simmered and flared since the First Intifada in 1987.

“This is a moment of opportunity,” says Greg Barton, Global Islamic Politics chair at Australia’s Deakin University. “Finally there are Arab states who worked up the courage to condemn Hamas. Israel needs to engage with negotiation.”

The declaration is in line with movement in the Arab world towards normalizing relations with Israel, in step with the Abraham Accords of President Trump’s first term. In those accords, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates legitimized Israel, a huge step away from the Arab declaration of war on Israel at the Jewish state’s inception.

At the same time, France, the UK, Canada and other nations have called for a two-state solution to the never-ending conflicts — a move Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes, saying it utlimately jeopardizes Israel’s security.

Condemning Hamas is very unpopular on the streets of Egypt and other Muslim nations that have significant populations that tend towards extremism. The Arab nations who condemned Hamas can face significant backlash among their populace.

Egypt is the birthplace of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group which promotes a return to early Arab Muslim radicalism of sharia law and world conquest.

Since 9/11, Saudi Arabia has moved away from the extremism that once was in its schoolbooks and airwaves. Since seizing power in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has loosened Medieval rules and arrested the most radical of cleric who whipped up violent, extremist fervor. Of the 19 Twin Towers/Pentagon attackers, 15 were Saudis and its sponsor was Saudi Osama bin Ladin.

Saudi nearly signed the Abraham Accords and is expected to normalize relations with Israel in coming years.

The Arab League’s move further isolates the so-called Axis of Resistance that stands with Hamas: Iran, Yemen and Hezbollah.

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