Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
Eng. Saleem Al-Batayneh
The questions loom large in the current context: When will the Arabs become Zionized? A phenomenon once thought inconceivable is now unfolding, where the Palestinian-Zionist conflict is seemingly isolated from its Arab surroundings. A term once foreign, “Arab Zionist,” has entered the discourse, reshaping perspectives on the regional dynamics.
Foretelling the Unthinkable: Dr. Ismat Seif al-Dawla and Dr. Abdul-Wahab al-Mesiri
Dr. Ismat Seif al-Dawla, an Arab nationalist thinker, and Dr. Abdul-Wahab al-Mesiri predicted this shift over four decades ago. Their insights, though challenging to discuss, are gaining prominence in light of current events. Dr. Al-Mesiri’s deconstruction of Zionist thinking in articles like “The Zionist State between Tragedy and Comedy” and “Checkbook Zionism” eerily mirrors Dr. Seif al-Dawla’s predictions.
Dr. Al-Mesiri prophesied an era where an Arab would play the role of an Israeli, praying with Muslims while executing Zionist tasks. The article “Checkbook Zionism” highlighted the relentless resistance against occupation and the enduring spirit of those fighting for their land, drawing parallels with historical struggles like Vietnam and Algeria.
The questions in this context are many, and many details are beginning to emerge before everyone who has eyes to see or ears to hear, and until recently none of us thought that one day we would see that the Palestinian-Zionist conflict had been isolated and cut off from its Arab surroundings and regional depth! And to hear about a new term, which is (Arab Zionist)! Until a time came when everything changed,,,, and this is what was predicted early on by the Arab thinkers Dr. (Ismat Seif al-Dawla) and Dr. (Abdul-Wahhab al-Mesiri).
It is always difficult to talk about thinkers wherever they are! But when we stop at an Arab nationalist thinker like Dr. Ismat Seif al-Dawla and Dr. Abdel-Wahab al-Mesiri, we find this difficulty! What Dr. Ismat Seif al-Dawla predicted more than 45 years ago is the same thing that was precisely re-explained by the deconstructor of the Zionist mind, Dr. Abdul-Wahab al-Mesiri, who had a philosophical vision, and who presented a situation that rose to the point of exceptionalism.
What Dr. Al-Messiri said months before his death in 2008 in his two articles, the first: (The Zionist State between Tragedy and Comedy) and the second: (Checkbook Zionism) was more like a fantasy according to the overall perspective of Zionist thought and the conviction of the multiple dangers of Zionism’s dimensions, and the methodology of interpreting the phenomenon of Arab Zionism in terms of its danger. And the tools it uses.
Here I am quoting verbatim what Dr. Al-Mesiri wrote: (There will come a stage in which the Arab will play the role of the Israeli! This Zionist career Arab will come and pray the evening prayer with the Muslims as a group, and at the same time follow up on the tasks assigned to him as the Zionist general, minister, or merchant used to follow them.
Dr. Al-Mesiri emphasized at the end of the article (Checkbook Zionism) that there is no land that was occupied without its owners resisting the occupier with everything they could and with very great sacrifices, and the people who fight against the usurpation of their land will not get tired quickly, and this is what happened in Vietnam, which did not defeat the American army, but rather It exhausted him to the point of despair of realizing his plans,,, which is what the Algerians did over the course of eight years (1954-1962) in the war to liberate their country from French colonialism.
Away from popular vocabulary, recalling the past, and talking about the phenomenon of Zionism, which cost the Arabs many tragedies, defeats, and woes, the question that arises strongly remains: Are we witnessing the overt birth of Arab Zionism today?
From Theory to Reality: The Birth of Arab Zionism?
The sociological reading of the current situation suggests a transformation from abstract thought to concrete reality. Instead of witnessing the decline of Zionism, it appears that Arabs are embracing it. The alarming reality unfolds as a departure from Arab nationalism.
Dr. Seif al-Dawla’s early warnings in the ’70s resonate today. The contradiction between Arab nationalism and Zionism was declared as unsolvable, emphasizing a direct relationship where the strength of one party feeds on the weakness of the other. Arab chaos provided fertile ground for the implantation of Zionist ideas, eroding Arab nationalism and replacing it with Jewish-Zionist nationalism.
A New Crisis in Arab Political Thought: Arab Zionism
Arab Zionism emerged as a new crisis in Arab political thought. The term did not surface out of thin air; signs of Arab Zionization date back to 1936 when Arab governments requested an end to a six-month strike against British policies. The erosion of Arab identity and the introduction of a dual discourse in the Arab-Israeli conflict are among the disturbing consequences.
In today’s unprecedented and perilous circumstances, the wisdom of past tricks has waned. The exhaustion of regional countries, the loss of wealth, failed revolutions, and cracked maps have left them kneeling, seeking aid and political weight. The need for visionary thinkers like Dr. Ismat Seif al-Dawla and Dr. Abdul-Wahab al-Mesiri is more profound than ever.
Their intellectual journey, viewed as prophecy, provides a critical understanding of the dangers of Zionism in reshaping borders and displacing peoples. As we navigate through the transformations of the Arab world, their insights offer a guiding light, urging us to reevaluate the threat of Arab Zionism.
Al Batayneh was a former member of the Jordanian Parliament
