Since the tragic watershed of 11 September, America and the countries of the Middle East have placed terrorism firmly on their agendas. Arabs of all faiths condemned the attacks against America. The occasional expressions of satisfaction were aberrations from the general sentiment, just as scattered acts of discrimination and profiling against Arabs are inconsistent with American values. If actions are wisely charted, this coincidence of agendas should bring the West and the Arab world closer together.
Haste, arrogance or self-denial by either of the two will only drive a damaging wedge between us. More dangerous still, such a division along cultural or religious lines could tear at the very fabric of our respective societies, given the presence of large Muslim and Arab populations in the West and the interlocking interests that bind the Middle East with the Western world.
A process of mutual introspection is now called for, both in the Arab world and in America. Arabs and Muslims should not be defensive, nor should they enter self-imposed isolation because of 11 September. To do so would serve only those who seek to cause a rift with America. The motivation and driving force for Arab and Muslim self-criticism and reflection should come from within. Yet it should be realised that the criminal attacks against America have done more damage to the reputation of Islam and the Arab world than any event in contemporary history.
In a major address before Muslim scholars in Egypt on 12 December, on the occasion of Leilat Al-Qadr, one of the most important religious events on the Muslim calendar, President Hosni Mubarak articulated the need for religious leaders to engage in a "fundamental reexamination of the substance of the religious message they have used to propagate their faith." The president's words indicate that this process of self- examination has already begun in Egypt.
Arabs and Muslims cannot allow Osama Bin Laden, or foreign pundits, to define their beliefs, or project them to the world according to their own narrow political agendas. Arab and Muslim societies have a rich heritage. To be worthy of their heritage, they must now take the initiative and become constructively engaged in explaining and defining their beliefs, and in constantly reviewing, enunciating and developing their socioeconomic agenda.
The populations of the Arab and Muslim worlds are young and growing rapidly. Their aspirations can be fulfilled only by engaging and interacting with the world community. The needs of such youth cannot be met by heady rhetoric or religious sloganeering. Their dreams can be realised only through rapid growth in a context of peace and security. Arab and Muslim governments must pursue sound domestic policy and solid relations with the major international players, particularly with the strongest and wealthiest country on earth, the United States.
America, like the rest of us, must think hard about the real lessons of 11 September, with a healthy dose of self-criticism, even as its campaign against terrorism continues. If there is a cardinal lesson here, it is that no country can be immune from problems emanating from regional trouble spots. The need for constructive engagement by America with its partners to address global and regional problems has never been greater. With global leadership inevitably comes global responsibility. This will require that the United States listen more carefully to its regional partners, so that it may become more sensitive to their concerns and more attuned to the regional complexities that affect American interests. Only in this way will American leadership be respected -- and followed.
The vast majority of the Arab and Muslim public looks to those American values that have commanded respect and admiration as a model to be emulated. But for years, America has ignored or depreciated the admonition of Arab governments that Arab and Muslim public opinion was becoming increasingly agitated by the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, and that this was affecting not only their own domestic politics but also American regional interests. It is the perception that America is condoning Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people that, more than anything, stigmatises it in Arab and Muslim minds.
The Arab world comprises 22 countries with a combined population of close to 300 million. The Organisation of the Islamic Conference covers 50 countries with more than a billion people. America cannot afford to brush aside their concerns or perceptions.
America's publicly pronounced commitment and solid support for Israel is recognised, but should not be exclusive. On 11 September, and 10 years earlier, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and America's interests were directly threatened, America needed to rely on its friends in the Arab and Muslim worlds, including Egypt. They stood tall, even though a threat had emerged from criminal elements within their societies.
President Bush's affirmation that the United States is not at war with Islam or with the Arab world was a positive step that met with deep appreciation in the Arab and Muslim worlds. For this message to resonate, however, it must now be augmented with concrete steps responding to Arab aspirations, foremost among which is a just and comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace based on the pre-June 1967 borders and a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
America and the Arab and Muslim worlds need each other. They must be more responsive to each other in true partnership based on a fundamental understanding that can transcend civilisational and religious boundaries.
In his address of 12 December, President Mubarak emphasised his commitment to a "civilisational dialogue founded upon a profound vision of the common human roots shared by all religions and cultures." If this call is heeded, we will have within our grasp the opportunity to usher in an era of dialogue and understanding between civilisations while averting the dire prospect of a resurgence of a religious and cultural divide marked by suspicion and mistrust.
This article was published in the Washington Post February 9 issue
* The writer is Egypt's ambassador to the United States.
