Why can't we help ourselves?

ARAB Journalists Union has slammed Israel's ongoing aggression in strongest terms. The Cairo-based organisation has urged the world community — especially human rights agencies, global media and international institutions — to intervene and pressure Israel to stop its aggression against Palestinian and Lebanese people.

Understandably, AJU has expressed particular concern over Israel's deliberate bombing of media outlets and offices in Lebanon and Palestine clearly with an aim to silence and prevent them from reporting what is happening on the ground.

In addition to attacks on vital civilian infrastructure such as airports, bridges, water supply and fuel storage tanks, the Israelis have destroyed numerous offices and facilities of Lebanese media including Al Manar TV.

Dear readers, it goes without saying that targeting of defenceless civilians, especially media, cannot be justified under any circumstances, war or no war. Journalists and media organistions are only doing their job. It is unfair and completely unacceptable to target them, just as it is unacceptable to target innocent civilians. This aggression rightly deserves to be condemned in strongest terms by everyone.

Having said that, I must ask my fellow Arab journalists — particularly pro-government and pro-establishment media — if before appealing to the world community to intervene in Palestine and Lebanon, have you asked Arab governments and leaders what they are going to stop this tragedy?

Before begging the international community to come and rescue the Palestinians and Lebanese, have we in the Arab media questioned the Arab and Muslim countries what they are doing to end the suffering of a helpless people? Many of Arab and Muslim countries are close allies of the US and some of them even have diplomatic relations with Israel. We would like to know what have they done so far to deal with the problem?

Dear readers, what amazes me most is the fact that the Arab world, its leaders and media organizations should seek the help of the rest of the world against a tiny country. Look at Israel and look at ourselves. There is no comparison at all. In size, population and resources, the Arab world is at least 100 times more than the Jewish state.

Strategically located, at the confluence of three continents and civilisations, the Arab world controls — or rather should control — the whole world because it controls most of the world’s known energy resources. After all, we own 40 per cent of the world's oil — the most precious commodity today.

Yet we remain perhaps the most vulnerable people in the world in terms of our political power and clout. We have to beseech and beg the world to help, save and rescue us when we face threat from Israel.

No wonder the world does not take us seriously. Why should it when we do not take ourselves seriously. We are high on rhetoric and low on action. But what is the explanation for our political weightlessness?

Dear readers, I have often thought about it and have concluded that our failure to harness and realise our true potential is at the heart of our state of affairs. While the whole world has changed and embraced democracy and political freedom as a way of life, in many countries in the Arab world, people's destiny is still controlled by a few, who were imposed by circumstances, rather than chosen.

Democracy, political freedom and empowerment remain unfamiliar words to the majority of people in Arab and Muslim world. That may be why we as a people remain so vulnerable and cannot bring ourselves to take on any challenge. Clearly, our enemy knows this and exploits the chink in our armour to hit us, again and again.

Readers’ response may be forwarded to marg@khaleejtimes.com