Israel is driving a revival of Arab solidarity
Arab solidarity has been an elusive ideal over the past century, frequently invoked but rarely actualized. The Arab world has long been fractured by internal rivalries, divergent political alignments and regional conflicts.
However, recent developments suggest a resurgence of Arab unity, driven not by a shared pan-Arab vision but by a common external challenge: Israel. In a striking historical parallel, the country that once divided the Arabs is now, through its policies and actions, bringing them together.
Arab solidarity once dominated regional politics, reaching its peak in the 1950s and 1960s under leaders like Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser, who championed unity against colonialism and Zionism. However, fractures emerged, culminating in Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s November 1977 visit to Jerusalem, which shattered the Arab consensus.
Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi convened an emergency Arab League summit the following month, wherein Algeria, Syria, Iraq, South Yemen and the Palestinian Liberation Organization formed the “Front of Steadfastness and Confrontation” to pressure Egypt. Instead, Egypt severed ties. Just 10 days later, Time magazine declared “Goodbye, Arab Solidarity,” marking the apparent collapse of a unified Arab front.
For decades after, the Palestinian cause lost its unifying force as Arab states prioritized national interests. The 1993 Oslo Accords and the 1994 Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty sidelined collective Arab strategy. The 2020 Abraham Accords expedited this trend, deepening divisions within the Arab world regarding engagement with Israel.
Yet the Palestinian issue never faded. Today, a new Arab solidarity is rising — not for war, but to counter Israeli policies that threaten regional stability, signaling a decisive shift in the Arab world’s strategic calculus.
The war in Gaza has proven to be a turning point. After more than a year of brutal conflict and over 46,000 casualties in Gaza, President Trump shocked the world with his vision for the strip’s future. Standing beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Feb. 4, Trump proposed that Gaza be “transformed into the Riviera of the Middle East” and hinted at the forced displacement of its 2 million residents into Egypt and Jordan. This proposal was met with immediate alarm across the Arab world.
At Trump’s invitation, King Abdullah II of Jordan traveled to Washington on Feb. 11 with hopes that Trump would reconsider his proposal, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was scheduled to visit the White House a week later, canceled his trip — an unmistakable diplomatic rebuke.
Recognizing the urgency of unified action, Arab leaders convened in Riyadh on Feb. 21 to strategize a response. The outcome was a decisive rejection of the Trump Gaza plan. The Arab League officially presented their counter-proposal at the Arab League summit in Cairo on March 4.
The Arab League’s proposition was clear: Hamas would have no role in governing Gaza, thus meeting a key Israeli and American demand, and satisfying Arab states’ preference as well. However, contrary to Trump’s vision of U.S. control over the strip, the Egyptian plan emphasized Palestinian self-determination. Egypt spearheaded a $53 billion Gaza Reconstruction Plan, featuring a five-year timeline for rebuilding; an initial six-month phase focused on debris removal and temporary housing; a two-phase housing project totaling 400,000 units; and the construction of an industrial zone, fishing port, commercial port and a new Gaza airport.
The Arab states are united to rebuild Gaza and reclaim ownership of the Palestinian issue, ensuring that a revitalized Palestinian Authority is in control. Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf states secured broad regional and European support, as EU President António Costa backed the initiative. Even though the U.S. and Israel rejected the plan the very next day, Arab leaders see this as an opportunity to reassert regional leadership and prevent outside powers from dictating Gaza’s future.
Arab solidarity is also resurging in regards to Syria. Since the Assad regime’s fall, Israel has bombed Syrian territory, with reports suggesting Netanyahu’s government may expand military operations there. Justifying its actions as security measures, Israel cites concerns over Syria’s Druze minority, particularly after clashes between the transitional government and Druze factions in Jarmana.
However, Druze leaders in Lebanon and Syria have rejected Israeli intervention. Walid Jumblatt, a Lebanese Druze leader, condemned Israel’s actions, accusing Netanyahu of exploiting the Druze. On March 1, Syrian Druze leaders met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, rejecting external conflict.
The Arab world, wary of Israel’s strategic moves, has responded with a unified front. Arab League representatives, including key Gulf states and even Turkey, have explicitly backed Syria’s sovereignty and warned against foreign military interventions.
Moreover, the March 10 agreement to integrate the Kurdish-led militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces into state institutions marks a huge shift, reinforcing Damascus’s authority. As crises like the violence in Alawite areas escalate, stabilizing Syria and countering foreign influence becomes urgent.
Arab solidarity, long weakened by competing national interests, is undergoing a decisive revival. The Arab League’s unified stance on Gaza’s reconstruction and Syria’s sovereignty marks a shift from rhetoric to action. Though internal divisions persist, this newfound cohesion signals a departure from fragmentation.
Ironically, Israel — once the greatest divider — is now catalyzing Arab unity. The League’s assertive coordination suggests a resilient Arab voice, challenging past assumptions. If institutionalized, this momentum could transform cooperation from an aspiration into a geopolitical reality, ushering in an era where Arab states collectively defend their core interests with newfound resolve and strategic alignment.
Abdullah Hayek is a contributor with Young Voices and an independent Middle East analyst and consultant based in Washington, D.C.
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