Amr Moussa at Symi Forum: Peace Before Security, Palestine Is a Mediterranean Issue

Former Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa has concluded his participation in the 28th Symi International Forum, held in Olympia, Greece, under the theme "Achilles' Wrath and Cassandra's Warning: Empowering Democracy and Taming Power." The event, hosted at the invitation of former Greek Prime Minister and Forum founder George Papandreou, brought together former heads of state and government, diplomats, academics, and international policymakers to discuss the world's most pressing geopolitical challenges.

This year's edition opened symbolically in Odesa before continuing in Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, where participants explored the future of the international order amid growing global uncertainty.

Moussa took part in a keynote session titled "Interdependence, Justice, and the Global South: Whose Rules Shape the World?" alongside Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, former Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, and other prominent international figures.

During his remarks, Moussa said the Middle East is facing a historic opportunity to build a new regional order driven by the countries of the region rather than external powers. He argued that recent developments following the U.S.-Iran confrontation have demonstrated that lasting solutions to regional crises can only emerge through genuine regional dialogue and cooperation.

He also expressed optimism about what he described as the growing role of Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia in shaping regional stability. According to Moussa, closer coordination among these key regional powers, together with broader security arrangements involving Pakistan, could contribute to strategic balance in West Asia, particularly amid renewed concerns over nuclear risks.

Addressing the Palestinian issue, Moussa stressed that it is not only an Arab or Middle Eastern cause but also a Mediterranean and European issue. He warned against reducing the conflict to a question of security alone.

"The real question is not who achieves security first," he said. "It is who deserves security. Can Israel's security or Europe's security be treated as separate from Arab security?"

Moussa emphasized that a just peace must come before security, arguing that genuine security can only be achieved when a fair and lasting peace is established for all parties. He reiterated that the only viable solution remains the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He further noted that Europe is currently facing growing political, economic, and security challenges, while West Asia and the Southern Mediterranean continue to experience multiple crises. These realities, he said, make a more balanced partnership across the Mediterranean an urgent strategic necessity.

"You speak a great deal about the Middle East and the Arab world," Moussa told participants, "but you do not listen to them enough. That has to change."

In another session, Moussa responded to comments by a Turkish participant who suggested that declining use of the headscarf in Turkey reflected a return to secularism. Rejecting that view, Moussa argued that personal freedom should never be measured by religious dress or outward appearance.

"We do not judge people by the Jewish kippah or other religious traditions," he said. "Why should our societies and our women be expected to abandon their cultural heritage or religious beliefs to satisfy the West? Such superficial indicators are not measures of progress—they diminish human dignity and freedom."

Moussa concluded by stressing that respect for cultural and religious diversity is a cornerstone of a more just international order, adding that meaningful cooperation among civilizations can only be achieved through mutual respect and recognition of national and cultural identities, rather than the imposition of a single cultural model.