Atwan: Arab Leaders Display Utter Cowardice Toward Israel—Where Are Jolani’s Sponsors Now
Palestinian analyst slams Arab silence and retreat in face of Israeli aggression in Syria, warns of normalization by force as Israel escalates military strikes on Damascus and Suwayda
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Prominent Palestinian writer and analyst Abdel Bari Atwan has fiercely criticized Arab leaders for their silence and inaction in the face of Israeli aggression against Syria.
He stated that Israel views Arab rulers and nations as nothing more than herds of sheep meant to be sacrificed.
“The Arabs are demonstrating the peak of their cowardice before Israel,” Atwan declared. “Why are they doing nothing to support Syria today?”
In his latest editorial for the pan-Arab newspaper Rai al-Youm, Atwan argued that Israel no longer seeks normalization through dialogue but rather imposes it on Arab regimes by force, with clear support from the United States.
Damascus Palace Bombed, Syrian Tanks Retreat, No Arab Response
Atwan pointed out that Israel bombed the presidential palace in central Damascus and the Syrian military headquarters in Umayyad Square. Syrian tanks, after sustaining heavy losses, were forced to retreat from the city of Suwayda. He added that Israeli warplanes also recently launched heavy strikes on Lebanon’s Baalbek and Hermel provinces—without facing any retaliation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrogantly declared in a recent statement that the ceasefire in Syria came “only through force and after the bombing of military and government targets in Damascus—not through any request or negotiation.”
Likewise, Netanyahu’s Likud Party issued a statement threatening to “kill anyone who kidnaps an Israeli and destroy their town and village.”
Arab Capitulation Signals Forced Normalization
Atwan described Netanyahu’s attitude toward Arab leaders as one of contempt, treating them as a submissive flock marked for slaughter.
“The current silence and surrender in all Arab capitals—except for Gaza and Yemen—is the clearest evidence of this disgrace,” he said.
He then referenced comments by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, head of the so-called Syrian interim government, who recently stated, “Israel seeks chaos in Syria to destabilize and divide its people. We are sons of this land, and we have the strength to overcome these attempts to fragment our country.”
However, Atwan criticized the contradiction between these statements and ground realities, pointing out that Syria’s response to the Israeli strikes—including orders to withdraw military and security forces from Suwayda—amounts to capitulation under Israeli pressure.
“Suwayda is an Arab, Syrian, and Islamic city,” he stressed. “Why did Syrian tanks retreat in line with threats from Netanyahu and Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant? This is not just a surrender of southern Syria but a recognition of Israeli sovereignty and a potential prelude to formal normalization.”
Resistance Stands While Arab Regimes Collapse
Atwan emphasized that Israel is an enemy that must not be engaged through coexistence or normalization but through firm resistance.
“Do not tell us the balance of power favors Israel. What we are seeing is not strength, but the height of Arab cowardice and betrayal of values such as manhood, dignity, and self-defense.”
He praised the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, which has endured over 650 days of siege and war. “Despite hunger and destruction, resistance fighters emerge from the rubble to hunt down the enemy. Some Israeli soldiers end up committing suicide.”
Yemen and Gaza: Symbols of Honor and Defiance
As another example of defiance, Atwan cited Yemen, whose forces continue to target occupied Palestinian cities and Israeli infrastructure such as Ben Gurion Airport and the ports of Haifa, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Eilat.
“Yemenis target any ship in the Red Sea that defies their directives and have managed to damage American aircraft carriers—an unprecedented feat in modern history.”
He posed a rhetorical question to Arab leaders: “Is Yemen a superpower like China or Russia?”
Where Are Jolani’s Backers Now?
Atwan ended his editorial by questioning the current silence of Jolani’s sponsors. “Where is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the so-called godfather of Jolani? Where is the United States, which embraced Jolani and lifted sanctions on Syria to support him?”
“And where are all the Arab foreign ministers who rushed to Damascus to embrace Jolani and pose for souvenir photos? Why are they doing nothing for Syria today?” (PW)
Source: Tasnim