Arabs draw closer to action

KARACHI - Arab states are likely to take joint steps in the coming days against Israel's continued military operations against Palestine.

Despite strong United States pressure in favor of Israel, analysts and diplomatic sources suggest that the way in which mass protests are gaining momentum in the Middle East in favor of Palestine and against Israel, it seems that Arab rulers will be forced to adopt policies contrary to US dictates and take extreme action against Israel, including the severing of diplomatic ties and open support for the Palestinian Intifada against Israeli occupation.

Unlike the 1967 Arab-Israel war when Arab dictators and monarchs stood up against Israel to save Arab interests in the region, in the post-September 11 situation the current situation has generated a solid and broad-based Muslim backlash.

Contrary to the past, sentiments are simmering at the grass-roots level and it is likely that a popular mass movement, which could be in full swing within a few weeks, against Israel and the US will push Arab countries to take extreme action against Israel and the US.

The latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict has a new meaning for the common Arab in the post-September 11 era. Waging war against US interests was not the primary goal of al-Qaeda's jihad. Its attacks were basically aimed at creating a Muslim backlash and in making world politics once again bi-polar ... on the basis of religion.