Daphne Anson: A Saudi Officer Reflects on What Might Have Been Had the Arabs Recognised Israel in 1948

Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East. (From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Sunday, 20 March 2011

A Saudi Officer Reflects on What Might Have Been Had the Arabs Recognised Israel in 1948

Signatures on Israel's Declaration of Independence, 1948

"What if Arabs had recognized the State of Israel in 1948?" asks retired Saudi commodore Abdulateef Al-Mulhim in a remarkable op-ed in Arab News. He continues, inter alia:

"If Israel was recognized in 1948, then the Palestinians would have been able to free themselves from the hollow promises of some Arab dictators who kept telling them that the refugees would be back in their homes and all Arab lands will be liberated and Israel will be sent to the bottom of the sea. Some Arab leaders used the Palestinians for their own agenda to suppress their own people and to stay in power....

If Israel was recognized in 1948, then there would have been no need for a coup in Egypt against King Farouq in 1952 and there would have been no attack on Egypt in 1956 by The UK, France and Israel. Also there will be no war in June 1967 and the size of Israel will not be increased and we, the Arabs would not have the need for a UN resolution to beg Israel to go back to the pre-1967 borders. And no war of attrition between Egypt and Israel that caused more casualties on the Egyptian side than the Israeli side....

Now, the Palestinians are on their own. Each Arab country is busy with its own crisis. From Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Somalia, Algeria, Lebanon and the Gulf states. For now, the Arab countries have put the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on hold."

Read the entire article: http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article322715.ece

2 comments:

Daniel Bielak22 March 2011 at 15:28
Dear Daphne,

Thank you very much for informing about this important article by retired Saudi commodore Abdulateef Al-Mulhim.

Sincerely,
Dan
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Daphne Anson22 March 2011 at 19:51
I see the Jerusalem Post carried it in full yesterday, Dan - I was tempted, but feared copyright problems.
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