The inability of the Palestinians to come up with a united stand to address the fallout of the Israeli war on Gaza demonstrates the urgent need for the Palestinians and the Arabs to unite in action and bring about an end to the decades-old Israeli oppression of the Palestinians.
With that in mind, the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Abu Dhabi is crucial. It should be looked at as a first step to overcoming the Arab division, showcased live on television during the Qatar and Kuwait summits, over the appropriate response to the Israeli massacres in Gaza.
The Abu Dhabi meeting was aimed at doing exactly that, in addition to paving the way for a long-lasting truce between Hamas and the Israelis. A comprehensive peace plan should include opening all border crossings, lifting the embargo on Gaza, including the free movement of construction materials, and a halt to Israeli attacks.
A united Arab position is also crucial to begin rebuilding Gaza immediately.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has already said that Gaza will need years to recover from the devastating Israeli attacks, which lasted 22 days and left more than 1,300 Palestinians dead.
Even before the Israeli attack, Gaza's economy was barely functioning and the coastal territory was not allowed any free access to the outside world. Today, its infrastructure is decimated and the Palestinians are left with nothing.
But before anything, the Palestinians from the two warring factions Hamas and Fatah must sort out their differences and unite, and not just in words, for the sake of the Palestinian people. Both sides have to put an end to the war of words that threatens the Palestinian cause and increases Arab polarisation.
Palestinian national unity cannot be an empty slogan; it has to be backed up with actions by the two sides, and it doesn't matter who takes the first step.
