UAE's Gargash says 'sectarian agendas burden Arab world' as threat of wider Middle East war looms

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Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, has described the rising tension in the Middle East as a “dangerous phase, with the escalation getting out of control”.

His comments come after a tumultuous week for the region, in which Iran launched a major rocket attack on Israel and the latter’s threat of retaliation could lead to an already devastating war escalating.

Israel’s incursion into Lebanon, meanwhile, shows no signs of slowing down either, with relentless bombing turning Beirut’s Dahieh into a ghost town and another strike closing the main road into Syria on Friday.

“Amid the wars and crises threatening Arab and regional security, our only path forward is to revive the concept of the nation state and uphold its independence and sovereignty,” Mr Gargash wrote on X on Friday. “The dominance of militias, driven by sectarian and regional agendas, has come at a great cost to the Arab world and burdened the region.

“The future belongs to security, peace and prosperity through an independent Arab vision that is reconciled with its environment."

The Emirati diplomat also stressed the need for de-escalation, for stopping the war in Gaza and Lebanon, and said the two-state solution was the most effective way of securing a lasting peace.

“The region is going through a dangerous phase, with the escalation intensifying and getting out of control, threatening to spread violence, chaos and cause more loss of life,” he wrote on X on Thursday.

“The solution begins with stopping the war in Gaza and Lebanon, de-escalating tensions and engaging in dialogue free from extremist rhetoric. The two-state solution remains the cornerstone for ending the cycle of recurring crises and building a better future.”

His comments come after Jewish political scientist and activist Norman Finkelstein said Israel has left Gaza uninhabitable with its invasion and air assaults.

"Gaza is no more," Mr Finkelstein told The National. Home to more than two million people, the enclave has been made uninhabitable through the "systematic destruction of its infrastructure", he said.

The UN estimates 40 million tonnes of rubble now lie in Gaza and rebuilding will take until 2040 at the earliest. The debris is mixed with toxic substances and bodily remains, which will require specialised equipment to remove safely, experts have told The National.

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