While Israeli forces continue to kill innocent Palestinian people, the OIC as usual has failed to act. Over 2000 armless Palestinians have so far been killed by brutal Israeli gangsters, who ostensibly doing all this at the behest of their patrons within the US administration. However the US alone is not to be blamed for the plight of the Palestinians. The Muslim world and especially the godfathers of the OIC and Arab League are equally responsible.
As we all know, in 2006 when Israeli jets were targeting the innocent Lebanese on the false pretext of tracking down Hezbollah, Muslim countries watchdog body, OIC was still weighing its options as to when it should convene the emergency session. As we know, OIC was formed in the wake of Zionist arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque, on 21 August 1969 when leaders put their heads together to form this organization for protection of interests of the Muslim world. It was the evolution of OIC having at that time only a single point agenda – to liberate Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa from the Zionist occupation, but it translated into a political alliance afterwards with an expanded role and responsibilities.
Muslim leaders’ nonchalance over gruesome Israeli action against the Lebanese and continued persecution of Palestinians speaks volumes for their inability of rising to the occasion. The ineffectiveness of 57-member body provides the Western countries with a free hand to exploit the situations in their favour and continue victimizing the Muslim population on one pretext or the other with utmost ease and liberty.
Even after 45 years OIC has failed to impact upon world and regional affairs, reasons for which are multi-faceted, leadership and identity crises being at the top. OIC is often accused of acting as a stooge to the governments, which in most cases happen to be the case. We must now grapple with the reality that unless democratic structures within the Muslim states are improved and civil society is considered as a major partner in the process of democratization, this organization would continue to be a showpiece. It has to readjust itself to the newly evolving conditions and support and safeguard the rights of its member states, putting aside all its prejudices and internal disputes.
The Organization did not do anything to cope with post-9/11 scenario when the West was at its worst against Muslims. It was the time for OIC that it had acted judiciously and promptly to counter all those accusations and mudslinging but it failed to come up to expectations. The dilemma of the most of the OIC member states is that they do not allow their people to freedom of expression nor they allow them to participate in the decision making processes. This trend has sullied its performance and prevented it from becoming a truly representative body.
Muslim intelligentsias are equally to be blamed for not projecting and defending Islam against Western attacks. Most of the books published in the West carry titles on Islam, Jihad and Muslims and each title carries pictures of men or women with guns in their hands, depicting them as terrorists. Not even a single book has been authored by any Muslim scholar in response to the Western propaganda.
Summing up, why the OIC has so far failed to convene a meeting on the current Palestinian issue is because of internal difference among various member states. Saudi Arabia is not supporting Palestinians because of Hamas, which is considered a pro-Iran organization. Egypt, a key country in the Arab world too is loath to raise voice against Israeli actions simply because the incumbent Egyptian government is considered pro-West and anti Hamas. OIC in its current shape does not provide any panacea for the problems faced by the Muslim world therefore it’s complete overhauling has become imperative. Pakistan government on its part announced a financial aid for the Gaza people however it could have done even more. Pakistan holds a key position within the OIC therefore it should have called for an emergent meeting to discuss Gaza issue. But it did not do so for the obvious reasons that both the opposition and the govt are perhaps too weak to take an independent stand on this issue.
