What are the aims of the establishment of the Arab league?

The aims of the establishment of the Arab League were to implement the agreements made between member states to strengthen their mutual relations, to call their meeting from time to time, cooperation in political spheres,

protecting independence and sovereignty of the member nations, discussing matters related to Arab nations and cooperating with each other in the fields of economy, culture and transportation.

The main principles of the Arab League were respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the member states; each state was free to follow the agreements with other countries; Non-aggression and peaceful solution of disputes; Respect for the administrative system of the members states; and unity among all members.

The rise of the spirit of nationalism among the Arab people living in West Asia is an important event of the post world war period. During ‘the world war II, the Allied powers needed the goodwill and cooperation of the Arab world. This strengthened the spirit of nationalism among them and they were determined to turn the imperialists out of the Arab world. Consequently, Arab countries subdued for long, gained independence one by one.

With the object of maintaining and strengthening Arab solidarity, the Arab nations signed a treaty in Cairo on March 22, 1945 and formed a union called the Arab League. In the beginning Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Lebanon joined it.

Each country enjoyed full sovereignty and was not bound to abide by the decisions of the league. In the post war period, the nature of leadership in the Arab countries also underwent a change. The old guard nationalist leaders were replaced by new and young leaders. It was the old leadership who organised
independent states into a loose regional organisation known as the League.

It could not succeed because it was contrary to the hopes and aspirations of the Arab nationalists in so far it merely served to freeze the political status quo and strengthened the foreign political structure. It did not in any way provide spring board towards Arab unity. Though the league considerably declined in prestige after defeat in 1948, still it continued to serve a platform for discussion on common issues and rendered valuable services to the member states in the economic and cultural spheres.

The ideological cleavage which characterised the world politics in the post world war II also gripped the Arab states and they came to be sharply divided on the basis of ideology, economic organisation and social policy. As a result the Arab world, instead of being united got divided into a number of states which were keen to preserve their independence and resisted their submission in the larger Arab whole.

The possibility of consolidating the Arab world was like a mirage. The Arab league failed to do anything worthwhile because of mutual disputes, rancor, and bitterness among the member states. The league failed because of its inherent problems. By nature, the Arabs are highly individualistic.

No Arab country was willing to accept the influence or pressure of another Arab country. Some heads of states suffered from traditional dynastic rivalries. For example. Shah Husain of Jordan and Shah Faisal of Saudi Arabia were sworn enemies.

There was no unanimity on the question of leadership of the Arab league. The United Arab Republic (Egypt) was the most highly developed among the Arab States and therefore it was natural that it wanted to keep the leadership of the Arab world with it. But because pilgrimage centers like Mecca and Medina were in Saudi Arab, it considered itself most important among the Arab nations. The Arab nations suffered from internal dissension, conflict and groupies.

Sometimes the member – states quarreled over the venue and agenda of the proposed meeting. Many Arab states felt convinced that the league was an instrument for implementing the national policy of the United Arab Republic, and to free it from the influence of Nassir, its headquarters should immediately be shifted from Cairo. So these mutual conflicts between the Arab states obstructed the smooth functioning of the league.

Thus, because of their mutual quarrels, enmity and bitterness, the Arab nations could not take unanimous decision in any matter. To gain their own ends, the western powers fanned their dissension. So this organization lacked the strength it needed. Opposition to Israel and the desire to annihilate her might bring them together, but on this question also they were divided.

In spite of all these weaknesses, the Arab league is a regional organisation symbolising the glory of the Arab nations and keeps a permanent observer in the U.N.O… It has signed formal agreements and made informal arrangements with most of the specialised agencies of the UNO.

With the help of the UNO and Afro-Asian community, it has carried on an anti- colonial campaign and had succeeded in liberating several Arab countries from the clutches of the colonial campaign and has succeeded in liberating several Arab countries from the clutches of the colonial powers.

It has secured the support of a very large section of the world society in the case of Palestinian opposition to Israel. By using ‘oil diplomacy’ or using oil as a political instrument in the international politics against its opponents, it has forced them to bow down. In 1973, all Arab nations except Libya used oil as a potential instrument and forced many powerful countries to make extensive changes in their policy towards the Arabs.