When it comes to relations with other people, I go by the inference of the Koranic words: "Some doubt is a sin." But in politics, I tend to agree with the popular saying that "Doubt is right" On the 12th of last month, the London Times claimed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has cleared its skies for Israeli planes to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. On the fifth of this month, the Sunday Times followed suit with a similar news report, quoting the war criminal Meir Dagan, the head of the Mossad. Israeli planes in the country of the Two Holy Mosques? I decided on doubting this, especially when the first news story quoted a ‘military source in the region' without naming it, and especially with my knowledge that the two newspapers are published by a pro-Israeli group. This is not to mention the fact that the second news report was written by Uzi Mahnaimi, a former Israeli intelligence officer who usually prepares news material worthy of Goebbels' dark journalism. A Saudi official denial was issued. However, I chose to err on the side of caution after doubt, and called some Saudi officials that I know; they reiterated the denial, and a friend among them even reproached me for asking about this. Perhaps the Saudi government has a thousand objections to the practices of the Iranian government. However, it would never help Israel against a Muslim country. This is impossible with Abdullah bin Abdulaziz as King, Sultan bin Abdulaziz as the Crown Prince, and with his brothers, their children, grandchildren, ministers and the entire people. Yet, the semi-official Pars news agency (Iran) went beyond the news report in the British newspaper, and said that Israel has built or is building a base in Tabuk, which was quoted by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz in addition to several websites, and I even read it in the Nigeria Tribune's issue published on 26/6/2010. But the agency's news report is self-contradictory: it spoke of an Israeli base at a distance of five miles from Tabuk. Nevertheless, this area lies in northwestern Saudi Arabia, near occupied Palestine, and logic says that Israel needs a base near Iran, and not close to the Israeli border. When Saudi Arabia is not the target, it is the United Arab Emirates. What I directly know from officials in both countries –also their declared official position – is that Saudi Arabia and the UAE both oppose any military strike against Iran, and refuse to let their territories be used in such a strike. I will content myself with one example today on the attempt to stir strife between Iran and the Arabs, and divert attention away from Israel and its ongoing crimes: the example involves the French pro-Likud philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, who has been defending the director Roman Polanski, the sexual predator, and this perhaps explains his enthusiasm to defend Israel's usurpation of Palestinian lands. A few days ago, Levy wrote an article entitled “The Arab World against Ahmadinejad?” in which he said that the UAE is searching ships in accordance with the UN Security Council's resolution, and that it is closely cooperating with Israel to secure its borders, and that this and other developments indicate that it is siding with Israel against Iran. When the sons of Sheikh Zayed forge an alliance with Israel and Saudi Arabia clears its skies for Israeli planes over Mecca and Medina, I will hand over this column to the likes of Levy. This presumed philosopher also mentioned Saudi Arabia in his article, saying that Israel is a democracy while the regime in Saudi Arabia is autocratic, but that nevertheless, they are cooperating against Iran, citing a news story ran by the Sunday Times. I want to say here that Israel is a neo-Nazi racist state. Levy then moves from Goebbels-like claims and from the attempt to stir strife among governments, to endeavors to divide Muslims. He said that in the Iranian-Arab case, the confrontation is between Sunni Islam and Shiite Islam, or “to be exact, with this heresy of Shi'ism that is the apocalyptic Islam of the loonies and the gangsters who, a year ago, stole their vote from the Iranians.” The Jaafari Twelver Shiite doctrine is a sect that is recognized by Al-Azhar and all Muslims. King Hassan II told me personally that the sects are seven: the four Sunni sects, in addition to the Shiite, Zaidi and Ibadi sects. When a conference for world Muslims was held in Jordan, there were also the Zahiris. What is important here is that it is not acceptable for a French Jewish Likudnik to decide that millions of Muslims are heretics, or to accuse them of terrorism while there is Israel in existence, the fascist and racist state that murders women and children and steals Palestinians' homes every day. In truth, by such actions, Israel justifies the terrorism in response and gives it its raison d'être. Today, the campaign is targeting Saudi Arabia and the UAE. And perhaps tomorrow, Morocco will be accused of clearing its skies for an attack against Iran from whence it would not expect. While these lies are exposed and their causes are clearer than the noon's sun, caution is a duty, and doubt in politics is right. [email protected]
