Our region is in disarray. The uncertain Arab Spring aside, the escalating tensions, divisions and conflicts are harming the region: politically, economically, socially and security wise.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite the recent Jordanian initiative to get the Israelis and the Palestinians talking again, is going from bad to worse.

The hardliners, who call the shots in Israel, are taking advantage of the developments in the region that shifted the focus away from Israel, to implement all kinds of devious schemes on the ground to make the creation of a Palestinian state, and as a result peace in the region, impossible.

The tension between Iran and several Arab countries, triggered by Iran’s intervention in the internal affairs of its neighbours, is threatening the whole region’s tenuous security and stability.

Through its misguided, devious policies, Iran, like Israel, has become a thug state in the region, contributing — like Israel, again — to more crises, divisions and conflicts.

The Arab countries themselves are as fragmented, divided and inept as ever. Each regime is preoccupied with its own survival, as a result of the Arab Spring which took all regimes by surprise.

Neither individually nor collectively do Arab countries have — as a result of such inter-Arab divisions, misplaced competitions and animosity — any impact on events in the region or any say over their own destiny. They are in a state of total apathy and bankruptcy as to what should be done to improve their individual and collective lots.

As a result of this Arab passivity and vulnerability, as well as of the inter-regional tensions and divisions, the US and a number of European countries are doing their best to further their suspect agendas and selfish interests at the expense of the region’s security and stability.

Taking advantage of the alleged Iranian intention to produce nuclear weapons and the dynamics of the Arab Spring, they are escalating tensions and divisions rather than helping to solve them.

Their aim is access to the region’s oil and gas, selling expensive weapons to the region’s states for billions of dollars and boosting their hegemony over the region. Talk about spreading democracy or helping the Arab Spring is only lip service and a petty cover for pure economic interests.

As a matter of fact, the present US and European intervention in the region could qualify as a new form of colonisation.

It is regrettable, of course, that the Americans and the Europeans — who, under healthier circumstances and with an aware, assertive Arab region, could play a constructive role in peace making and conflict resolution — are shamelessly promoting conflicts and escalating tensions.

Though saddened, one is not surprised. This has always been the approach adopted by Western imperialists and colonialists in our region and elsewhere: divide and conquer.

In the absence of an alert, aware and unified Arab world, the consequences can be devastating. In fact, they already are.