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The US – Islamic World Forum in Qatar The U.S.-Islamic World Forum was held in Doha, Qatar from January 10 to January 12, 2004. The forum attracted about 150 intellectuals, academics and diplomats and government officials from Asia, Muslim community leaders in Europe, the United States, Middle East and Africa. But the three-day gathering, which grouped top American and Muslim leaders and thinkers to discuss ways to improve dialogue post 9/11, was dominated by the Palestinian-Israeli issue. While debating other controversial issues, such as Iraq, America's future role in the Gulf and free trade, open sessions were overrun by the Middle East conflict, which Muslim participants described as the root of US-Muslim World tensions that were merely exacerbated by the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. The three-day forum was organized by the Washington-based Brookings Institution’s Saban Centre for Middle East Policy, along with Qatar. Only the opening and closing sessions/keynote addresses were open to the media while he rest of the forum was limited to conference participants only. According to AFP, the conference discussions were dominated by the Middle East conflict, which many participants maintained was the source of tension and strained relations long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Much of the criticism at the conference has been directed at the United States for what they say is unconditional support of Israel against the Palestinians. Amir of Qatar The US-Islamic World Forum opened amid an outpouring of concern over the deteriorating Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Inaugurating the US-Islamic World Forum, Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani called for "permanent and candid dialogue ... as the means to consolidate our friendship on the bases of partnership, respect and mutual understanding," and bridge the gap in US-Muslim relations since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. However, he stressed that this gap existed well before 9/11, stemming largely from the Arab-Israeli conflict which he said has "deteriorated to an unacceptable extent." "Our Islamic world wonders why the international community refrains from exerting pressure on Israel to make it withdraw from the occupied Arab territories at a time when all pressures fall on the Arab side alone," Sheikh Hamad said. The Arabs and Muslims too "have to solve the problems and crises that face our countries ... We have to carry out political, economic and cultural reforms to broaden popular participation and democratic practice," added Hamad, a close US ally. Sheikh Hamad said Qatar would serve as the headquarters for the "Permanent Forum for American-Islamic Dialogue ... to follow up this mission and plan for its future activities." The U.S.-Islamic World Forum, sponsored by Qatar's government and held for the first time in the Gulf state in 2003, brings together dozens of politicians, religious leaders, business leaders and academics from the United States and Islamic countries to promote better understanding. Sheikh Yussef Al Qaradawi Leading Qatar-based Egyptian Islamic scholar, Sheikh Yussef Al Qaradawi said he was "optimistic" that America's relations with the Islamic world could be improved but added that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continued to "poison" ties. "All this took place before September 11," the cleric told an opening roundtable discussion. "So when September 11 took place, it added fuel to the fire that was already there." Washington's "extreme bias" in favor of Israel was a main source of tension, Qaradawi said. "We want to have good relations," he said. "Of course, I must acknowledge that there are some extremist actions taken by Muslim people," but they were only few in number. "Moderates are the majority among Muslims," he added. "We should be coming closer, and coexist," said Qaradawi. "We should respect each other's freedoms ... We need to put our hands in each other's hands and drive away evil." Richard Holbrooke Former US ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, said that while the Iraq issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict should not be understated, the forum should not focus too much on either. "This conference is the seat to broaden the common ground between us and the Islamic world," he said. "I hope you, our Muslim friends ... will listen to the views and anguish of the United States." But the US, he said, while it does not dictate Israeli policy, "will never turn its back on Israel." Martin Indyk Martin Indyk, director of the Saban Centre for Middle East Policy at Brookings Institution, which is organising the forum, said the United States “is not prepared to engage in any kind of confrontation with Israel” and that the Arab-Israeli issue was now being complicated by Iraq. For Washington, Indyk said, “the crisis of the Middle East is the Iraq crisis. And if the president (George W. Bush) doesn't get this right, it will sink the administration.” So, he added, this rules out the prospect of US engagement in the Middle East peace process this year. Qazi Hussain Ahmed He accused the United States of hypocrisy, saying it advocated high moral standards at home, but did not practice them in dealings with Muslim countries. "When it comes to U.S. policies the Islamic world seems to be more familiar with U.S. support for authoritarian regimes, unilateral sanctions, trade embargoes, inspections of strategic defense installations and a hostile in regional conflicts," said Ahmed. Quader Chowdhury But Quader Chowdhury, whom Bangladesh has offered to become the next Secretary General of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, said that understanding between the United States and the Muslim world can only be reached if all issues are open for discussion. "If the United States continues to take the position that Israel cannot be discussed, that it's sacrosanct, then I think it becomes a nonstarter. We have to bring everything to the table," Chowdhury said in an interview. Yasser Abed Rabbo, former Palestinian information minister, said US policy concerning Israel “is encouraging the so-called (clash) of civilizations.” Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher said the United States was not serious about implementing peace in the Middle East, that the international community “is at a loss” on the issue and the quartet “paralyzed.” The so-called diplomatic quartet comprising the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States, drew up the “roadmap” for peace in the Middle East that has been stalled for months. “The problem in my opinion is not the lack of (peace) initiatives but the lack of seriousness among all parties,” Muasher charged. Former President Clinton Former US President William Clinton told the concluding session Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States and while the Muslim faith should be better understood by the US, the Arab world should not judge America through the state of the Middle East peace process, "Islam is the fastest growing religion in America, we have now six million plus Muslims in the United States," he said, recalling that hundreds of Muslims were among the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Clinton said that while "those in the West only see Islam through the specter of terror," Muslims were basing their judgment of the United States on its role in finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Clinton added that Americans also had problems understanding the Islamic world because their judgments were based on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Clinton offered four observations: "We need to do more to understand how the two major players here understand each other. We need, secondly, to improve our capacity for self-criticism. Third, we need to identify our common interests, and fourth, we need to build the habits of mind and heart necessary to end the habits of demonizing those who are different from us." Integrity of Iraq Many participants, in the opening address, discussed the US occupation of Iraq. The Amir of Qatar called for maintaining the country’s unity, stressing the need for Iraqis to choose their leadership and government. Conference participant Edward Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute, echoed these comments, saying the worst case scenario would be a territorial disintegration of Iraq. Racked by ongoing violence, the turning point for Iraq would be when Iraqis agree on a political, economic and cultural agreement and implement it, said the former US ambassador to Syria. He believed this would occur when the future government’s political system provided all groups equal decision-making powers. Djerejian, a former US State Department expert to the Middle East, served under former US President George Bush Snr's administration. Speaking to Aljazeera.net, he said he had asked Kurdish leaders Jalal Talabani and Masud Barzani in 1991 about their aspirations in Iraq. "They said in their hearts, they wanted an autonomous country, but in their heads they knew this was not possible," he said. They understand that the creation of a sovereign Kurdistan would unleash havoc with neighbours Syria and Turkey, who host Kurdish populations, said the career diplomat. Former US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke, vice-chairman of the forum, said it was a “shame” there had been no post-war plan for Iraq. The looting which took place immediately after US and British tanks rolled into the capital was “inexcusable”, the former US ambassador to the UN told Aljazeera.net. However, he warned a withdrawal of occupation forces now would plunge the country into further chaos and called for the involvement of member states of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). “US military victory is never difficult… but Washington needs to listen to its friends more often,” he said. He said there were concerns if US forces extended their occupation, those who had initially welcomed them would also demand their withdrawal. Holbrooke was also a chief negotiator of the historic 1995 Dayton Peace Accords in Bosnia. He said there was no chance for Washington to exert military force on any other nation, including Iran, because US troops were over stretched around the world. Forum convenors’ message: One of the greatest challenges in global politics today is the dangerous tension growing between the United States and the world's Muslim states and communities. Relations between the world's community of 1.4 billion Muslim believers and the world's leading state power are at a historic low point, to the benefit of neither. This deepening divide is not just tragic, but is also a critical impediment to cooperation on a breadth of vital issues, ranging from dealing with terrorism and radicalism to supporting human development and freedom. Ambassador Martin Indyk, Project Co-Convenor Source: Media reports |