King Salman’s wise message to the G-20

The G-20 meetings bring together, every year, the world’s most powerful economies, of which the Kingdom is one. But this week, in the Turkish resort of Antalya, economics took a back seat to urgent politics. The horror of the terrorist attacks in Paris dominated the two days of talks. 
The Kingdom has long been at the forefront of the fight against terror. It was one of the early targets of Al-Qaeda. It struggled with and in the end defeated that deadly campaign. It has therefore learned its lessons in the school of hard knocks. 
So when Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman spoke about terrorism to fellow members of the G-20 he was listened to with respect. Saudi Arabia’s role in combating terror is seen as highly positive. This goes far beyond the UN’s International Anti-Terrorism Center, to which the Kingdom has already given $110 million.
As the king made it
clear in a speech to other G-20 leaders, the wider political dimension of the fight against terror could not be overlooked. It has been Israeli oppression of the Palestinians which has provided the deepest and longest-lasting wound. But four years of carnage in Syria have given birth to Daesh terrorists.
Almost as soon as the Syrian revolution began, the Kingdom called for the removal of Bashar Assad. A political solution would be impossible if he wished to cling to power. But the international community refused to intervene. The consequences have been dreadful. Quarter of a million Syrians have died. Millions of refugees have poured into neighboring countries. 
The savagery of Daesh has since reached out to Iraq, to Lebanon, to Turkey, Libya, Nigeria, Somalia and Egypt. In Beirut last week suicide bombers killed 47 and injured scores more. And then at the weekend, the repercussions of the international community’s refusal to act came once again to a European capital. The slaughter on the streets of Paris was, as King Salman said, a heinous crime. However, he went on to insist that this latest outrage was also an opportunity for the international community to unite and make concerted efforts to eliminate terrorism.
The Kingdom’s Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen and its participation in the anti-Daesh airstrikes has made clear it knows when an iron fist must be used. But King Salman stressed that a military response by itself was insufficient. The favorable opportunity he identified at the G-20 was for cooperation to find a truly global solution to the full range of pressing problems facing the world.
These challenges were not simply about the issue of terrorism. Nor were they about the plight of refugees. They were about the growth and sustainability of the world economy. A prosperous world cuts the deprivation and helplessness on which the terrorists feed. It can also invest more in education, driving away the ignorance that the terrorists exploit. A prosperous world can invest in peace.
That peace has to include Palestine, said King Salman. The international community had a responsibility to ensure that a peaceful solution is reached. This must recognize the rights of the Palestinian people, including an independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.
He went on to warn that some countries in the Middle East had stirred up conflict and sectarianism by supporting militias to fight proxy wars. Iran, he said, was a common factor in the region’s problems. He, therefore, cautioned the international community not to focus exclusively on the nuclear weapons deal. It needed to widen its gaze to recognize Iran’s expansionist policies. It needed to appreciate the extremism of Iran’s views and ambitions.
Terrorist crimes were not sanctioned by any religion, said King Salman, and certainly not by Islam. He reminded his listeners at the G-20 that Islam is a religion of moderation and tolerance. It cannot be blamed for the monstrosity of terrorism.
As his fellow G-20 leaders headed home they will hopefully have been considering King Salman’s words. Their immediate concerns will be their domestic security clampdown to try and head off more Daesh outrages. Those involved in assaulting Daesh in Syria and Iraq will doubtless be assessing how they can redouble their efforts. Other countries must be planning to join in.
But the king’s strongest message is clearly the most important. Terror cannot be tackled in isolation. It has to be attacked at its roots. These do not just lie in ignorance and poverty. They also stem from the aggression and interference of Israel and Iran.

Source : Arab News