If the Arab League can't show courage now, it never will

Arab regimes have never been very good at deciding on priorities, but the desperate straits in which the Palestinian people currently find themselves should have made the process an easy one for even the most unresponsive of leaderships. Simply put, the Palestinians are being punished by the United States and a timorous Europe for having done exactly what was demanded of them: they held a free and fair election. Sadly, it was only to be expected that the United States would not only look the other way as Israel withheld tax proceeds that it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, but would also multiply the impact of the Israeli move by eliminating what little aid it was providing and, more importantly, holding the threat of sanctions over any entity willing to have contact with the new Hamas-led government. However, a more nuanced response might have been expected from the European Union, which instead has become a willing participant in what amounts to a gang rape of the Palestinian economy.

Only Arab governments could be so quiescent in the face of so much abuse being heaped on their brethren. Lonelier than ever, the Palestinians - Hamas in particular - cannot be blamed for assuming that the past half-century has been entirely wasted. Effectively, the Palestinians have been cut loose in the hour of their greatest need. So much for Arab unity.

Almost all of the usual criticisms of Hamas are viable: the party has a lot to learn about diplomacy, governance - among other things. Learning will not be high on the agenda, though, if and when Palestinians start dying in record numbers because there is no money to buy food or medicine. Lashing out will be their goal, possibly at all and sundry, and with good reason.

On balance, the record of emergency summits convened by the Arab League is a poor one. For this occasion, however, one would certainly appear to be in order. That way, representatives of individual Arab governments would be forced to explain how and why they decided to abandon their friends. Hopefully, the exercise would remind them of their responsibilities - not to Hamas, but to the Palestinian people; if not, it might at least embarrass them into changing course.

Money is not a problem, especially in this instance. The amounts are piddling in a region awash with the proceeds of sky-high oil and gas prices. What is missing is the political will to do what is right, even when the consequences might be painful. If Arab leaders cannot summon that will in this situation, they can never be expected to do so. The contrast between right and wrong is rarely so stark. Sharm al-Sheikh, anyone?