Zuhdi Shubeitah
العربية

The Lentils Are Cooked

The article examines recent regional realignments signalled by visits such as Netanyahu’s trip to Oman, US pressure and policies affecting Palestinians, and wider Arab accommodations tied to the so-called "Deal of the Century."

العربيةRead the Arabic original

English translation, prepared and reviewed before publication. The Arabic text is authoritative.

Zuhdi ShubeitahBanking executive (former)
Published
Reading time
4 min read
Photo of Zuhdi Shubeitah

27-10-2018

When the time comes... with other people. And they long to solve an intractable problem!!.. After the convened have healed... to solve it before the general public.... white smoke rises. From a chimney... at the top of the building of the convened, signalling an agreement among the conventioneers...!!. As for our people!!.... we have a popular saying.. when the convened agree.. among them conspirators.!!.. they say.. "the lentils are cooked".....!! meaning the dish is ready... everyone presents his cup... to receive his share of the food.....!!

Yesterday the Arabic satellite news channels informed us... of the Sultanate of Oman receiving Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife... amid all our follow-up... to the tragic incident that cost the lives of many children on a school trip to the Dead Sea in our country Jordan... (may God have mercy on them and grant them Paradise)... on an official visit.. without diplomatic representation... between the two states.. the matter did not seem strange...!!... and I recalled in my memory ..why Oman? ??.. and it appears to us that it distances itself... from the political events that follow in the region... and visits by international politicians to the Sultanate of Oman are few.. and President of the Palestinian Authority Abu Mazen paid an official visit to it a few days ago.. to discuss bilateral relations... and Netanyahu stated a few days ago as well that he seeks to grant the Palestinians.. a form that appears less than a state and more than autonomy...!!

I remembered the words of U.S. President Donald Trump a few days ago in his defense of the importance of Saudi Arabia, and its old strong relations with the United States, and that was when many demanded punishment of Saudi Arabia as a result of its killing of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his consulate in Istanbul ... after the desecration of his body.... where he subsequently stated the phrase he said at the White House in a statement of his as we noted about the consulate events !!Among other things, Riyadh has 
” been helping us a lot with respect to Israel. They’ve been funding a lot of  things” . 

That Saudi Arabia is providing great support to Israel... and financing other matters. Unstated... and he did not wish to declare them!!.. An indicator that the world has changed in line with a deal we were told exists — the "Deal of the Century"... but we have not seen its documents, its clauses, and its implementation conditions... rather it seems it was agreed orally so it would not go to legislative ratification in its country.!!.... Instead we hear and see details of its clauses in the Middle Eastern arena..... And U.S. President Trump said when he attended the last session of the UN General Assembly.. that he told Netanyahu in their meeting on the margins of those meetings " that it is necessary for Netanyahu.. or Israel to give something to the Palestinians to encourage them to return to negotiations"... which observers noted reflected in the speech of Palestinian President Abu Mazen.. before the last General Assembly. And he was forced under the enormous pressures on him, to appear less sharp than what had been circulated.. previously .... Observers reported that many meetings were held, where all kinds of pressures were exerted on the Palestinian President including pressures from Tzipi Livni.. the leader of the Israeli opposition... who was also in New York at that time... And the pressures exerted on the Palestinians by their brethren in the Arab countries are nothing but proof and an indicator of the encirclement process of the Palestinians. For example, Palestinian holders of the Jordanian temporary passport were prevented from visiting the holy places in Saudi Arabia on the Umrah trip... and it was also said that Saudi Arabia might prohibit stamping work visas for Palestinians holding the Palestinian passport... All that accompanied the cutting of American aid to the Palestinians and their civil society institutions including hospitals and youth organizations.. in addition to cutting the large American contribution to UNRWA's budget... for the Palestinian refugees, as well as publishing American statistics about the Palestinian refugees.. where they even astonished the international organization by claiming that the Palestinian refugees do not exceed only 40,000 individuals.. while the international organization's statistics exceed five or six million refugees... and UNRWA provides educational and health services to them.. according to their numbers.. It seems that the United States has become specialized in separating living fathers and mothers from their children and grandchildren.... as happened with migrants from Mexico and Latin America.... to the United States of America. In addition to withholding the Palestinian clearance revenues held by the Israeli occupation... and pressuring the Palestinians with conditions for the release of the monies withheld..... and special definitions regarding the faces that the Israelis allow the Palestinian National Authority to spend these funds on...!!!

I will not prolong..... the Palestinian cause.. is depositing its people and rather the Arabs... according to the deal.. of which only the bell's toll remains... not as a signal to take caution !! but.. one command not two of it... that the concerned should line up to distribute.. the privileges and commissions.... after the bell rang... some .official Arabs.... and Netanyahu and his son-in-law Kushner... and others..."

What will you do.? O all the honorable Arabs keen on their authentic Arabism and Muslims.!!...... Plan.. discuss... cooperate... reconcile.. purify intentions... in an unjust time...... so that you be the doers....!!... Your first qibla.... and your sanctities ..... call you.... all of you!!

Share or cite

Citation

Zuhdi Shubeitah, “The Lentils Are Cooked” (English translation of «استوى العدس», originally published 20 September 2022), https://www.zuhdish.co/en/articles/the-lentils-are-cooked

Where this article sits in “Public Affairs & Politics”

All articles (316) →

Article 145 of 316 in this topic of the archive, since 2022.

0%