A summit with a full agenda

Arab leaders meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, at a time when the situation in the Arab world seems to be at its worst.

The Arab nation is swamped in conflicts, disputes and crises, its peoples are divided, defeated or resigned to their fate and, most disheartening, there is no end in sight to this state of affairs.

The latest problem is Yemen, where the legitimate and internationally recognised government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi had to flee in the face of Houthi insurgents.

Yemen, neighbouring the Bab Al Mandeb Strait and thus vital to the transportation of oil from Saudi Arabia, has been in turmoil because of the Houthi rebels.

While their influence had long been confined to the north, Houthis, who belong to the Zaidi sect of Shiite Islam, started their push towards central and southern regions, helped by powerful military units loyal to former leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, a Zaidi, forced to resign in 2012.

Now, faced with the seriousness of the situation in Yemen, 10 Sunni countries joined forces, Jordan included, starting aerial strikes on the Houthi militias, hoping to impede the rapid military successes of these insurgents and help restore Hadi’s government to power.

In this vein, the Arab summit is expected to endorse the recommendation of the Arab foreign ministers to create a joint Arab force to combat all acts of aggression against Arab countries.

It can also be expected to adopt a strong position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, now that Benjamin Netanyahu was re-elected prime minister for the third time after having declaraed that no Palestinian state will see the light of day on his watch.

To be sure, the Arab leaders meeting in Egypt must have a full agenda.

The situation in Libya, Tunisia, Iraq and Syria is still worrisome, to various degrees.

What the Arab heads of state plan to do about these festering conflicts will be seen when the final communiqué is adopted on Sunday. 

What they can realistically do is little. Most everywhere one turns, problems and divisions abound in the Arab world.

This is indeed a time of reckoning for the Arabs.

The Arab leaders can either face the dangers and challenges head on or let them worsen to a point where they cannot be addressed anymore.

One can only hope that Arabs become aware of the fact that fights and divisions only lead to their destruction, and start putting their house in order.