Divided They Fall

Arab nations seldom brawl more passionately than when they get together to promote Arab unity. As fraternal delegates streamed into a special session of the Arab League in the Lebanese resort town of Shtura last week, security police relieved them of several dozen pistols. Syria's Ambassador Khalil Kallas key noted the eleven-day session by announcing sweetly: "We have come here to cut off Nasser's head and end his reptile tactics." The Egyptians spat back that the Syrians were "barking dogs." The Iraqis for once had nothing to say; they boycotted the conference when they heard the Kuwaitis would be there.

There were several fist fights among the delegates. Finally, just after Kallas opined that Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser "is lower than dirt under my feet," the Egyptians denounced "this comedy of curses" and stormed out of the conference. The League's Secretary-General Abdel Khalek Hassouna sat back and wept.

Syria had requested the special session to complain about Nasser's "aggression and open interference" in its internal affairs, presented 200 pages of names, dates and affidavits to document the charge.

Most of the delegates were sympathetic to Syria, Egypt's onetime United Arab

Republic partner; many could tell a few Nasser stories of their own. But they were reluctant to condemn the most powerful of the Arab nations. Nasser commands most of the Arab nations' military strength and contributes the lion's share (34%) of financial support for the Arab League, which works from a nine-story building in Cairo on projects ranging from boycotting Israel to Boy Scout jamborees. Said one delegate: "The Arab League cannot exist without the largest Arab nation."

Syria's most horrendous charge, at least to Arab ears, was that Egypt had toned down its anti-Israel campaign in order to keep some $250 million yearly in aid coming in from the United States. (The State Department flatly denies that it has imposed any such conditions.) As for Syria's complaints of Nasserite subversion.

League officials said that a decision would have to wait until Egypt returned to the conference--which was indefinitely adjourned. But Nasser hinted that Egypt might quit the 17-year-old Arab League and start a new socialist unity club representing Arab people rather than Arab governments. It could hardly be more ineffectual.

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