Arab Humility, Disunity and the Price of Betrayal

By Mohamad Hammoud

A Cycle of Humiliation

For decades, the Arab world has lived in humiliation, watching “Israel” strike one nation after another and one people after another. The cycle is predictable: “Israel” acts with force and brutality, Arab leaders rush to microphones, condemnation is issued, and then silence follows. Ordinary Arabs no longer expect action. They have grown accustomed to speeches in place of courage, declarations in place of unity, and betrayal in place of dignity.

Today Qatar, Tomorrow Riyadh or Cairo

The strike on Qatar was a warning. Today Doha, tomorrow Riyadh or Cairo. Everyone knows what will follow: emergency summits, angry speeches, and then nothing. “Israel” calculates carefully, confident that consequences are unlikely. This is the reality of the Arab world—a region with wealth, geography, and history to be a global power, yet paralyzed by disunity and self-betrayal.

Gaza: A Bleeding Wound the Arabs Ignore

The most evident proof of Arab betrayal lies in Gaza. There, children are pulled lifeless from rubble, their small bodies wrapped in white shrouds. Mothers wail in hospital corridors where the air reeks of blood and dust. Fathers dig with their bare hands through concrete slabs searching for sons and daughters buried beneath collapsed homes. Entire neighborhoods vanish overnight under bombs.

And what do the Arab states do? They issue statements of solidarity while tightening their borders, blocking the very aid that might save lives. They could cut oil exports, shut embassies, or suspend cooperation with Washington, but instead, they funnel billions into the United States—the same power that arms “Israel” and shields it from accountability. Without US aid, “Israel” would struggle to survive. Yet Arab wealth is recycled into the weapons that slaughter Palestinian families.

Trump and the Depth of Humiliation

When Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of “Israel,” the world waited for an Arab response. Al-Quds [“Jerusalem”], the first of the two Qiblas and the third holiest site in Islam—was handed over with the stroke of a pen. Arab leaders shouted in outrage for the cameras, but soon after, they lined up to greet Trump with golden swords, red carpets, and billion-dollar contracts. No US president humiliated the Arabs more than Trump, yet none was rewarded with more wealth than he was.

This humiliation was not imposed—it was given willingly. It exposed to the world the painful truth: Arab leaders prefer the favor of Washington over the dignity of their people.

Summits of Empty Words

History shows that Arab summits are designed to delay, not act. The Doha summit was no different. Leaders arrived, speeches were made, communiqués were drafted, and condemnation was issued. But no sanctions, no coordinated defense, and no economic retaliation followed. The “Arab street” sees through the charade. These gatherings are rituals of humiliation, staged to calm the people while ensuring that nothing changes.

“Israel’s” Confidence in the Arab Division

“Israel” understands Arab weakness better than anyone. It knows the regimes are fractured by rivalry, consumed by corruption, and shackled by dependence on foreign powers. It knows their anger will never become action.

This knowledge gives “Israel” freedom to bomb Gaza, assassinate leaders abroad, and even strike Arab capitals without fear. “Israel” acts not because it is invincible, but because it knows the Arabs are unwilling to stand together.

Power Wasted in Betrayal

The Arab world possesses trillions in wealth, strategic geography, and religious sites that command the hearts of over a billion Muslims. If mobilized, these assets could reshape global politics. Instead, power is squandered in rivalries, wasted on consumerism, or handed to foreign powers. A brother in Gaza is slaughtered, yet Arab rulers focus on normalizing relations with “Israel” and proving loyalty to Washington. A nation that betrays its own cannot earn the respect of others.

A Record of Defeat

The humiliation is not new. In 1948, Arabs watched Palestine fall. In 1967, entire armies collapsed in six days. In 1982, Beirut burned under “Israeli” bombs while Arab leaders argued. In 2003, Baghdad fell under American invasion as Arab states collaborated or remained silent. And in 2025, Qatar was struck while Arab leaders gathered once more to condemn and then return home.

The record is not one of resistance, but of surrender. Each decade adds another chapter of betrayal and disgrace.

The Bitter Truth

Until the Arabs learn unity, their destiny will remain unchanged. Unity means more than words—it means coordinated defense, economic pressure, and political courage. It means standing with the oppressed even when Washington disapproves. It means refusing to sell dignity for short-term deals. Without this, the humiliation will continue. “Israel” will strike again, America will mock again, and Arab leaders will condemn again.

The bitter truth is that nations that betray their own people cannot earn the respect of others. Until the Arabs rise above humility and disunity, their people will remain humiliated, their sovereignty fragile, and their dignity hostage. The world will continue to treat them as they treat themselves—weak, divided and disposable.