Page 22 - Issue-24

Vol.1 Issue 24, October 2020
ELITE

Did the dream of Pan-Arabism fade
Mahmiud Medhat away?

Fourth Level, Political Science

the Hashemite Arab Federation between the two kingdo ms of Iraq and
Who of us did not hear once a day about the Arabian dream, that dream
Jordan established in February 1958 which came as a pre-step for the
which has haunted most of Arab civilians' minds, par ticularly after
unity between Egypt and Syria, which lasted only for four months. And
liberation from oppressive colonialism, why not as this is the dream if it
that was the idea of the United Arab Emirates feder ation which started to
became true, we would be one hand deters who touche s its sovereignty,
be tackled in 1968, until it was originally declared about the unity of
one military and economic power terrifies the world , as a result of its
seven emirates – Qatar and Bahrain refused to join- in the country o f
human and natural resources if gathered together. W hat a great hope,
United Arab Emirates on 2 December 1971. Then, afte r this successful
most efforts failed to achieve, yet does that preve nt us of still aspiring
Emirati model, it was declared about so called Arab Islamic Republic
this hope?
between Libya and Tunisia in 1974 after a meeting d one between
Muammar al-Gaddafi and Habib Bourguiba, but Bourgui ba went back on
In the beginning, it does matter to give a look upon what most
his decision after the declaration because of his w orries towards al
2018-2020 ten years al-Gaddafi winged t o have unity with the
experiences of Pan-Arabism have gone to, let's take Mohamed Ali Pasha,
Gaddafi.
Later,
after
the founder of modern Egypt, as a starting point, bu t how, was not
Mohamed Ali originally a Kurdish?, yes, but he consid ered what kingdom of Morocco, so the Arab-African Federation was declared in
1984, but it has failed as aresult of the differenc e in their political
greatness of power he would have if he comprised ot her Arab countries
systems (monarchy and republican). Finally on 22 May 1990 Yemen was
to Egypt, so he sent his campaigns under the leader ship of his son
unified after it was divided in eastern and western. Here we must stop a
Ibrahim to Sudan,Levant, and Al-Hejaz countries, th ough as a result of
little, as we notice that all experiences of Pan-Ara bism have had its
the unity of international powers against Mohamed A li, nothing left for
failure, except for the country of United Arab Emir ates which was an
him but Sudan, which gained its independence officia lly in 1956 in the
exceptional, successful, and an emulated model for Pan-Arabism. And
era of the president Gamal Abdel Nasser, this man w ho was titled as the
for the country of Yemen which witnesses one of its worst periods
leader of Arab Nation. In fact, the dream of Pan-Ar abism has reached its
nowadays, we hope it will not be divided- or dismantled - once again.
peak in his time and seemed as getting nearer to rea lity, as from United
Arab Republic between Egypt and Syria in 1958 which ended by a
Because history here is not the goal in itself, but it is basically atool and
military coup in Damascus 1961, to signing a charter of tripartite unity
a mean by which we can get benefit from the past and its experiences in
between Egypt, Syria, and Iraq on 17 April 1963, af ter the revolutions of
order to get the most of the present.Did not most e xperiences of
14 July 1958 in Iraq and 8 March 1963 in Syria, in w hich Baathism
integration between Arab Nations in flag, people, an d government get its
tendency (Arab Socialist Baath party) has played a sensitive role,
failure? .so it becomes really needed to find other more pragmatic tools
however as a result of differences between Abdel Nas ser and that
and manners aiming to combat the engulfed crises in t he Arab World
tendency, this unity lasted only 3 months. And afte r the death of Gamal
(the most important extremist terrorism), increase t he awareness of the
Abdel Nasser, El Sadat has kept this dream up, so the F ederation of Arab
Arab citizen about the different types of the Fourt h Generation Warfare,
Republics was declared on 1 September 1971 between E gypt, Syria, and
and activate the role of Arab League and its capabil ities.
Libya, however this one also has not lasted long bec ause of the
Hence, it is possible to say that Pan Arabism in its old uniform
differences among the three leaders, especially afte r the peace
represented in complete integration between Arab sta tes, without taking
negotiations have started between Egypt and Israel.
their national character in consideration, becomes a semi-impossible
Other Arab countries as well have followed the same trend, as this was
dream, therefore the other tools and manners which can empower the
bonds of Arab cooperationbecome the new dream..
21
Vol.1 Issue 24, October 2020