Israeli ex-security chiefs urge Trump to help end Gaza war
'It is our professional judgment that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel,' the former officials wrote in an open letter shared with the media on Monday, calling on Trump to 'steer' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decisions.
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Arab News
10 minutes ago
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and UAE choose action over apathy
In times of profound geopolitical upheaval, and moral testing, the true character of nations and their leadership is revealed — not through slogans, but through action. As the Arab region continues to witness one of the gravest humanitarian catastrophes in its modern history — the brutal and prolonged assault on Gaza — the disparity between rhetoric and reality grows ever starker. Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the world has watched in horror as entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, children buried under debris, and hospitals transformed into graveyards. The death toll has become a number, numbingly rising with each passing day. Yet amid this unbearable human suffering, the Arab and Islamic world's response has been mixed. Outrage has been loud, but tangible solidarity has been scarce. In this paradox, we see the stark division between those who choose to act and those who are content to comment. What is deeply alarming is that those who act are often the very targets of baseless criticism. Take, for instance, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE — three Arab states that have taken concrete, coordinated steps to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid to Gaza. These efforts include air-dropped medical supplies, land convoys of food and flour, field hospitals, and even diplomatic pressure to facilitate humanitarian corridors. Rather than being acknowledged, these efforts are often derided or dismissed outright. Just days ago, Jordanian trucks were seen crossing into Gaza, laden with flour, medicine, and essentials. This came after months of famine and humanitarian blockade. Similar aid from Saudi Arabia and the UAE has been dispatched repeatedly through Egyptian and Jordanian crossings. Yet what did this spark? An avalanche of online criticism, accusations of normalization, and claims of political theater. Some denied the images and videos altogether; others accused us of coordinating with the Israeli occupation, as if helping the wounded and starving somehow equates to betrayal. This intellectual and moral duplicity not only undermines Jordan's efforts but also exposes a deeper rot — an obsession with ideological purity over practical compassion. Critics, often ensconced in digital echo chambers and hotel lobbies, prefer slogans over solutions. They vilify aid because it is not coupled with revolution, and they attack those who do something, however small, because it is not everything. Every child saved today is a future voice for Palestine. Hani Hazaimeh Let us be clear: Jordan's support for Palestine is neither cosmetic nor contingent. It is rooted in history, blood, and political principle. From the 1948 Nakba to the ongoing siege of Gaza, Jordan has carried a disproportionate burden of the Palestinian tragedy — hosting millions of refugees, advocating at every international forum, and absorbing the political and economic consequences of standing by Palestine. What Jordan has done, and continues to do, is a reflection of state policy grounded in pan-Arab nationalism and a moral worldview. And Jordan has not stood alone. Saudi Arabia has played a critical diplomatic and financial role, pressing international actors to ceasefire negotiations and providing major aid packages. The UAE, too, has dispatched multiple aid convoys and field hospitals, particularly to northern Gaza. These efforts represent a concerted Arab move to alleviate suffering — not because it is easy, but because it is right. Do these efforts resolve the core issue of occupation? No. But are they futile? Absolutely not. In a time when Gaza is being starved into submission, every truck, every plane, and every pill becomes an act of resistance — a rejection of death, a declaration of life. Unfortunately, the loudest critics rarely offer alternatives. Instead of mobilizing support, they mobilize hashtags. Instead of donating, they denounce. Their worldview is binary: either full liberation or full betrayal. This maximalist logic has paralyzed Arab action for decades and helped no one, least of all the Palestinians. More dangerous still is the normalization of nihilism. To claim that no effort matters unless it achieves complete liberation is to ignore the complexity of political struggle. It is to surrender the realm of the possible in favor of performative purity. It is to forget that while the dream of a free Palestine is sacred, it must be pursued through all available means — diplomatic, humanitarian, and, yes, pragmatic. We in Jordan do not claim sainthood. We acknowledge that Gaza's needs exceed our capacity. But it is unjust to scapegoat Jordan while wealthier, more capable actors do far less. Our commitment stems not from opportunism but from obligation. And it continues in the face of political backlash, security risks, and logistical nightmares. We understand the frustration of Palestinians in Gaza — the parents burying children, the doctors working without anesthetics, the displaced living without hope. They have every right to be angry. But let their anger be directed toward those who bomb, besiege, and occupy — not those who rush to offer help. To our critics, we say: What have you done? Did you sponsor a child? Did you send food or medicine? Did you speak to your governments or write to your lawmakers? Or did you merely tweet your indignation from a cafe, then move on? The real betrayal is silence. The real complicity is inaction. In this region's darkest hour, lighting even a single candle — be it a truck, a medical tent, or a public statement — is infinitely more valuable than screaming into the void. Because in Gaza today, a loaf of bread can mean survival. A dose of insulin can mean life. A warm blanket can mean dignity. Let us not romanticize suffering. Let us not fetishize resistance while ignoring the bleeding wound. Every child saved today is a future voice for Palestine. Every family helped is a shield against despair. And every Arab government that chooses action over apathy is keeping the cause alive — not in museum speeches but in lived reality. Jordan will continue to act. Not because it is easy. Not because it is popular. But because it is right. Our moral compass does not waver with the winds of public opinion. And we remain convinced that Palestine is not a seasonal cause or a trending topic, but a permanent moral obligation. In the end, we do not seek applause. We seek results. We seek to feed the hungry, heal the wounded, and preserve a flicker of hope in a sea of darkness. The path to liberation is long, and it passes through many roads — some political, some humanitarian, some military. But none of these roads are paved by cynicism alone. So let the critics shout. Let the cynics scoff. We will continue lighting candles — because Gaza needs light, not lectures. And when history writes this chapter, it will remember neither the tweets nor the tirades, but the trucks that arrived, the hands that helped, and the hearts that stood firm. • Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh
Arab News
10 minutes ago
- Arab News
Saudi crown prince receives Kuwaiti PM at NEOM Palace
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at NEOM Palace on Monday. The two officials reviewed the historic relations between their countries, aspects of bilateral cooperation, and ways to enhance and develop it in various fields. They also exchanged views on a number of topics of common interest, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Arab News
40 minutes ago
- Arab News
Why the delay in judging Israeli war crimes?
The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem released a comprehensive report on July 27 describing the Israeli war on Gaza as genocide. However, the delay in publishing such an indictment is troubling and adds to an existing problem of politically motivated decision-making processes that have, in their own right, prolonged Israeli war crimes. The report accused Israel of committing genocide, a conclusion reached after a detailed analysis of the military campaign's intent, the systematic destruction of civilian life, and the government-engineered famine. This finding is significant because it adds to the massive body of legal and testimonial evidence affirming the Palestinian position that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute a genocide. Moreover, the fact that B'Tselem is an Israeli organization is doubly important. It represents an insider's indictment of the horrific massacres and the government-engineered famine in Gaza, directly challenging the baseless argument that accusing Israel of genocide is an act of antisemitism. Western media were particularly interested in this finding, even though numerous firsthand Palestinian reports and investigations are often ignored or downplayed. This double standard continues to feed into a chronic media problem in its perception of Palestine and Israel. Claims by Palestinians of Israeli war crimes have historically been ignored by mainstream media or academia. Whether the Zionist militia's massacre of Tantura in 1948, the actual number of Palestinians and Lebanese killed in the massacres of Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon in 1982, or the events resulting in the Jenin massacre in the West Bank in 2002, the media has frequently ignored the Palestinian account. It often gains a degree of validation only if it is backed by Israeli or Western voices. The latest B'Tselem report is no exception. But another question must be asked: Why did it take almost two years for B'Tselem to reach such an obvious conclusion? Israeli rights groups, in particular, have far greater access to the conduct of the Israeli army, the statements of politicians, and Hebrew media coverage than any other entity. Such a conclusion, therefore, should have been reached in a matter of two months, not two years. This kind of intentional delay has so far defined the position of many international institutions, organizations, and individuals whose moral authority would have helped Palestinians establish the facts of the genocide globally much earlier. For example, despite the International Court of Justice's historic ruling on Jan. 26, 2024, that determined there are plausible grounds for South Africa's accusation of Israel of committing genocide, the court is still unable, or unwilling, to produce a conclusive ruling. A definitive ruling would have put significant pressure on Israel to end its mass killing in Gaza. Instead, for now, the ICJ expects Israel to investigate itself — a highly unrealistic expectation at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises his extremist ministers that Israel will encourage the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. The same indictment of intentional and politicized delays can be attributed to the International Criminal Court. While it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Nov. 21, 2024, no concrete action has been taken. Instead, it is Karim Khan, the ICC's chief prosecutor, who finds himself attacked by the US government and media for having the courage to follow through on the investigation. Individuals, too, especially those who have been associated with 'revolutionary' politics — the likes of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, among others — have been reluctant to act. On March 22, 2024, Ocasio-Cortez refused to use the term genocide in Gaza, going as far as claiming that while she saw an 'unfolding genocide,' she was not yet ready to use the term herself. Sanders, on the other hand, who has spoken out repeatedly and strongly against Netanyahu, describing him in an interview with CNN on July 31 as a 'disgusting liar,' has had repeated moral lapses since the start of the war. When the term genocide was used by many far less 'radical' politicians, Sanders doubled down during a lecture at a university in Ireland. He said that the word genocide 'makes him queasy,' and he urged people to be 'careful about it.' Delays born of political calculation and fear of retribution have given Israel the critical space it needed to carry out its genocide. Dr. Ramzy Baroud These are not simply lost opportunities or instances of moral equivocation; they have had a profound and direct impact on Israel's behavior. The timely intervention of governments, international institutions, high courts, media, and human rights groups would have fundamentally changed the dynamics of the war. Such collective pressure could have forced Israel and its allies to end the war, potentially saving thousands of lives. Delays born of political calculation and fear of retribution have given Israel the critical space it needed to carry out its genocide. Israel is actively exploiting this lack of legal and moral clarity to persist in its mass slaughter of Palestinians. This must change. The Palestinian perspective, their suffering, and their truths must be respected and honored without needing validation from Israeli or other sources. The Palestinian voice and their rights must be truly centered, not as an academic cliche or political jargon, but as an undeniable, everyday reality. As for those who have delayed their verdict regarding the Israeli genocide, no rationale can possibly absolve them. They will be judged by history, and by the desperate pleas of Gaza's mothers and fathers, who tried and failed to save their children from the Israeli killing machine and the world's collective silence or inaction.
