WE now know there is no hope for Palestine. Only a miracle can liberate the Palestinian people from Israeli occupation and brutality. No American administration came out in the Zionist state’s favour the way the Trump administration has. More shockingly, Arab states too have abandoned the Palestinian cause, and Saudi Arabia is moving closer to Israel, a move which is welcomed by Washington.

But what about Syria and its people? Syria is not under occupation by a foreign power (except for the Golan Heights stolen by Israel), but the nonchalant attitude of the Organisation of Islamic Conference and the Arab League highlights the economic and military impotence of the Muslim world. However, what is to be noted is that an end to the Syrian slaughter doesn’t need military might. It is diplomacy and negotiating skills that are needed.

Will it matter to the non-Muslim world if the slaughter and anarchy in Syria continue for a hundred years? In what way are the interests of Israel, India, America and the European Union and Russia hurt by the multilateral butchery that is going on in Syria (and Yemen and Lebanon)?

America’s sole concern is that oil wells in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf sheikhdoms should be under its control. Syria has no oil. So it doesn’t matter to Washington if Syria burns till hell freezes over. Its sole interest is to ensure that Iranian influence is checked — a policy Saudi Arabia and the Gulf sheikhdoms also welcome.

The standing hulks of buildings in Syrian cities bombed by non-Middle Eastern powers remind us of German cities subjected to carpet bombing by the Allies. Here Russian, American and French airpower is doing the same to Syrians. Millions are homeless. Hats off to Turkey! It has accommodated four million Syrians (and immigrants from Africa). But Turkey too is involved in Syrian fighting because of the Kurdish factor.

I appeal to all Muslim countries to undertake serious peace moves to end Syria’s agony.

Shafiq Khusro
Gujranwala

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2018