US diplomacy falters in MENA region amid war on Gaza: Politico

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Politico
17 Oct 2023 11:12

Arab leaders are hesitant to take action or make statements that could anger their citizens, who strongly support the Palestinian cause.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives to speak in Tel Aviv, on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, after an overnight meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

Amid the ongoing massacre in Gaza, US diplomacy in the Middle East, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is struggling to gain support from Arab countries.

Arab leaders have neither been reluctant to condemn Hamas for its resistance operation against "Israel", nor have they expressed support for an Israeli response, which involves measures of ethnic cleansing.

Even as US officials engage with Arab leaders, their efforts have appeared unsuccessful. Moreover, the effectiveness of US President Joe Biden's upcoming visit to the region remains uncertain.

Biden is scheduled to travel to the occupied territories and Jordan in a show of solidarity with "Israel."

Although the move may be provocative towards pro-Palestinian groups, experts believe it will be important for the US to show the Arab region that it will not waver in its support for "Israel," Jonathan Schanzer, an analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, told Politico.

But Arab officials caution against dismissing the US entirely, as they believe that behind-the-scenes discussions may yield more positive results than public statements suggest.

Despite this, Arab leaders are reluctant to publicly take action or make statements that would upset their populations, who often strongly support the Palestinian cause.

Weak influence

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been at the forefront of diplomatic efforts, engaging with "Israel" and several majority-Arab countries.

"What I’ve heard from virtually every partner was a determination, a shared view that we have to do everything possible to make sure this doesn’t spread to other places," he told reporters on Sunday, adding there also was "a shared view to safeguard innocent lives; a shared view to get assistance to Palestinians in Gaza who need it, and we’re working very much on that."

However, US attempts to persuade Egypt to facilitate the opening of a border crossing for Palestinians holding foreign citizenship to exit Gaza have not achieved success so far.

Egypt is holding "Israel" responsible, contending that its airstrikes and other activities are obstructing Cairo's ability to deliver humanitarian assistance through the border crossing to the distressed Palestinian population in Gaza.

Egypt is also cautious about the idea of hosting Palestinians fleeing Gaza, fearing that "Israel" might refuse their return, leading to a situation where people effectively became permanently displaced.

In recent days, Biden has changed his rhetoric, moving away from unconditional support for "Israel" to express concerns about safeguarding Palestinian civilians, the report says.

He has also cautioned "Israel" that maintaining an occupation in Gaza might not be justifiable considering the potential consequences. However, the US has a history of being perceived as predominantly pro-"Israel" rather than pro-Palestinian, contributing to grievances in the region.

Khaled Elgindy, an analyst at the Middle East Institute in Washington, told Politico that he believes Biden's recent shift to "more nuanced language in the "Israel"-Hamas conflict" came too late.

He argues that what the US communicates publicly at the outset has the most significant impact on Arab perceptions.

Elgindy emphasizes that statements of restraint must be made in real-time to hold significance, and if they are not public, they may not carry weight.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visits to various Arab countries garnered mixed receptions.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi expressed concerns about Palestinian suffering under Israeli occupation but inaccurately claimed that Jews had never faced persecution in Egypt.

"It is true what happened over the past nine days was very difficult and too much, and we unequivocally condemn it," Sisi said. "But we need to understand that this is the result of accumulated fury and hatred over four decades, where the Palestinians had no hope to find a solution."

Stalled normalization talks

During Blinken's visit to Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman made him wait several hours before the meeting.

During their discussions, the crown prince called for an end to the military operations that resulted in the deaths of innocent people, effectively expressing opposition to Israeli aggression.

On another note, reports suggested that Saudi Arabia was pausing US-backed talks on normalizing diplomatic relations with "Israel."

It's noteworthy that the crown prince has a history of keeping visitors waiting, even top figures from key partners like the US. However, doing so during the current crisis was significant. After recent Hamas strikes, the Saudi royal also had a conversation with Iran's president.

Despite a longstanding rivalry, including a proxy war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Iran recently restored diplomatic ties that had been broken off for years.

The efforts were mediated by China, a move which highly provoked the US and Western allies.

Some Arab officials support US efforts, though they acknowledge that achieving long-term results may take time. "There is no doubt in my mind that without American leadership, we would be in a far tougher position," one Arab diplomat told Politico.

"The objective today is to stop the bleed, and although Band-Aids are being applied, the wound is too deep."