Special Dispatch - Reform in the Arab and Muslim World
May 10, 2002
No. 377

An Arab Diplomat on the Need to Replace Jihad
With Social Development

In an article written by "an Arab diplomat who chose to
reveal his real name," - Abu Ahmad Mustafa called upon the
Arab world to replace Jihad with social development. The
article, titled "When Will the Arabs Learn the Lesson Even
Once," appeared recently in the Saudi-owned London daily
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. The following are excerpts from the
article:

"Now, after the fog has begun to lift above the skies of
the Palestinian Authority, and after the second Intifada
has ended, at such a terrible price, the Arabs must try -
at least once - to grasp the lesson that they have been
taught yet again..."

"First, we must admit that the ones who pushed the children
into the second Intifada had no defined political goal that
they sought to achieve and that would benefit the
Palestinian people... It became clear, beyond the shadow of
a doubt, that the ones who planned it wanted to thwart any
initiative that President Arafat sought to promote. They
wanted to make him simultaneously their prisoner and
Israel's prisoner..."

"Many questions have raced around my mind since the
demonstrations began to throng the streets of the Arab
capitals, reminiscent of the giant demonstrations to defend
the honor of the nation of Comrade Saddam."

"Several Arab countries demonstrated spontaneously. I heard
and learned that committees consisting of both government
and opposition party members were established to organize
the demonstrations. In the first ranks of demonstrators
stood some top officials of Arab countries, who sought to
neutralize [the nationalist elements] that claimed the
governments are lagging behind the street. At this point, I
ask: Why don't they demonstrate to protest against the
deficient (or nonexistent) basic services in their
countries? [These] countries have no health, education, or
services, and buckle under the poverty line... but all are
preoccupied with the Palestine issue, and no voice rises
above the voice of battle there! Do you think these
officials would participate in demonstrations of this kind
if the citizens decided to hold them?"

"Furthermore, why do they push the citizens to contribute
from their own money? Here too stand top officials,
contributing as much as they wish... Again I ask: Why don't
they instruct their citizens with regard to the importance
of contributing to improve education, health, and social
services in their countries?!"

"What would happen if every Arab country had, since 1948,
turned its attention to building itself from within,
without making Palestine its main issue? Wouldn't this be
better than wasting money on armies and equipping them so
that we can listen to their military marches every so
often? What would happen if every Arab country focused on
educating its citizens, and on improving their physical and
emotional health and cultural level?! Wouldn't this have
made the battle with Israel into a cultural battle instead
of us sinking into religious or military battles?!"

"Moreover, I am amazed at the clerics who raise a hue and
cry about Jihad against Israel, engage in conflict, and
compete with each other in issuing religious rulings on
suicide [attacks] - but do not encourage the citizens to
wage spiritual Jihad. Wouldn't this be more useful to the
[Arab] nation, which since the turn of the century has been
subject to Nakba [catastrophe] by its own military, and now
marches towards a second Nakba by its scientists - I refer,
of course, to the scientists of religion, and not the
scientists of physics, natural science, health, or
engineering..."(1)

Endnote:

(1) Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 8, 2002.

*********************
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