Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, stated that the Arab region has faced two major threats in its contemporary history: the first from Israel, beginning with its occupation of Palestine 78 years ago, as the Israeli state has, over decades, continued to threaten Arab countries through expansion and the annexation of territory; and the second following the Iranian Revolution, which marked the onset of hostile conduct by Iran and policies of interference in the internal affairs of Arab states, particularly in the Gulf.
He affirmed that the region continues to suffer from these two dangerous projects of domination and expansion, stressing that regional dynamics will not move in a positive direction beyond zero-sum calculations and a constant readiness for confrontation unless all parties recognise the gravity of these projects and act to bring an end to the expansionist and hegemonic tendencies of both states.
Gamal Roshdy, the official spokesman for the Secretary-General, explained that Mr. Aboul Gheit’s remarks were delivered during a seminar held as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which took place in the Turkish coastal city two days earlier.
The session, titled “The Middle East Beyond Zero-Sum Equations,” featured, alongside the League of Arab States Secretary-General, Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, and Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Mr. Aboul Gheit further noted that the Gulf region has advanced an alternative model grounded in prosperity and openness to the world, and that the Gulf states and Jordan have demonstrated resilience and cohesion in confronting Iranian attacks in a manner that commands admiration and respect.
He stated that both Israel and Iran share a focus on acquiring nuclear weapons to advance their respective projects of regional hegemony, while Arab states have adopted an initiative to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region.
He stressed that silence regarding Israel’s nuclear capability constitutes one of the underlying causes of regional tension, adding that the levels of uranium enrichment pursued by Iran leave little doubt about its intention to acquire nuclear weapons, and that success in this endeavour—should it materialise—would prompt many actors in the Middle East to seek similar capabilities, thereby heightening risks and instability.
Roshdy conveyed the Secretary-General’s observation that the absence of a peace project on the part of Israel, including its rejection of the Arab Peace Initiative since 2002, remains a principal factor behind the persistence of tension and volatility in the region.
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