The Arab Region: Growing Threats and Derelict Official Response

The Arab region is witnessing critical developments especially in states where the wave of Arab uprisings has engendered reform. Egypt is passing through a complicated stage due to the open conflict between the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood, and some supporting Arab states, on one hand, and popular opposition forces that reject the exclusionist policy of the ruling party and the economic and financial measures it is taking in line with directions from the International Monetary Fund for the purpose of receiving a loan, on the other hand.

Tunisia is facing angry protests triggered by the assassination of Choucri Belaid - the prominent opposition politician - that plunged the country into the biggest crisis since the Jasmine revolution in 2011. The country is also passing through a complicated stage due to terrorizing practices of associations affiliated with the ruling Revival Party. These associations destabilized security many times when it attacked individual freedoms, cultural events (including plastic art fairs) and centers of the Tunisian General Labor Union. Confrontations ended in the declaration of an agreement among the union, the government and the private sector.

Conditions deteriorated tragically in Syria. While the practices of the regime reflect the ugliest forms of killings against civilians, using internationally-banned cluster bombs and its air force, some armed groups carry out unacceptable and deplorable criminal actions. But the main development is Israel's recent attack inside Syria, which violates its sovereignty and international laws; such attacks are unacceptable and deplorable, irrespective of the causes and reasons behind them.

Israel: An Outlaw State But Israel doesn't abide by international law and does not show concern for its image in the eyes of the international community. Recently, it boycotted the UN Human Rights Council, which met on January 28 to discuss the universal periodic review of human rights. Israel didn't present its report according to the due process followed by all UN members, including the United States, Russia and China. Clearly, Israel is eschewing its responsibilities as a result of its aggressive and criminal attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip (the area was targeted by a devastating and bloody Israeli attack late last year), as well as the West Bank and Jerusalem where settlement expansion policies continue, alongside the construction of the disgraceful racist segregation wall.

Israel's boycott of the UN Human Rights Council meeting on the universal periodic review of human rights was the first of its kind since the launching of those meetings in 2007. It threatens to affect the Universal Periodic Review of human rights processes, which have become important landmarks in questioning governments and their practices in violation of human rights.

The Riyadh Summit

On the backdrop of such dangerous developments in the region, the Third Arab Summit for Economic and Social Development met in Riyadh on January 21 and 22 to discuss an agenda that is not consistent with what the Arab populations face. The summit was routine and did not reflect any change in the vision and performance of Arab officials, although the exceptional conditions of the region require extraordinary measures.

Noteworthy was the exclusion of civil society from the summit; its participation was limited to an insufficient parallel meeting that was held in Cairo ten days before the summit. The meeting's agenda was imposed by the Arab League's secretariat-general without consultations with civil society representatives. It reflected a traditional thinking that doesn't consider civil society a key partner in facing challenges. The agenda focused on cooperation in humanitarian aid, relief and programs leading to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Despite all the developments and latest events in the region, Arab Presidents and Monarchs ignore the fact that civil society is a partner in meeting the challenges of democratic transitions in the region, discussing new constitutions and promulgating laws that develop political action, economic performance and social and cultural development. Thus, traditional leaders, alongside new leaders who reached power as a result of the blood and sacrifices of the Arab populations, are incapable of facing the challenges of the current period. They need to reconsider all their stances and policies; otherwise the conditions in Arab countries will never be calm and stabilized.