this is an interesting article that sums it up:
The theatre of solidarity: A game of thrones in the Arab world — Che Ran
Malay Mail
4–5 minutes
Sunday, 16 Feb 2025 9:12 AM MYT
FEBRUARY 16 — King Abdullah of Jordan — His Hashemite Highness, the self-proclaimed defender of Jerusalem — once beat his chest and swore Jordan would never be the “alternative homeland” for Palestinians. No mass refugee influx, no demographic shifts, no headaches for the throne. A firm stance, until the wind changed. Now, suddenly, he’s talking about the unbearable suffering of Palestinians, calling for an end to the bloodshed, standing shoulder to shoulder with their cause. How noble. How timely. How convenient.
But let’s not be fooled. This isn’t about Palestine. It’s about optics. The same man who wouldn’t even allow desperate Gazans into Jordan now speaks of their right to a home. The same Arab rulers who wouldn’t risk a drop in oil prices for Palestinian lives are now crying into their silk handkerchiefs. Where was this energy when Gaza was flattened? When Rafah was turned into a graveyard? When the Gulf states signed defence pacts with the same Western powers supplying the bombs that slaughtered Palestinian families?
A protester waves a Palestinian flag in front of the US Embassy during a Pro-Palestinian march in central London, on February 15, 2025, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. — AFP pic
Let’s name names.
Saudi Arabia, the grand custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, still cosying up to Washington and Tel Aviv, playing the long game of normalisation even as the bodies pile up in Gaza. MBS isn’t losing sleep — he’s busy calculating arms deals and luxury real estate investments. The UAE, the land of golden skyscrapers and debt-ridden migrant workers, talks of peace while its security forces train alongside Israel’s. Dubai doesn’t run on ethics — it runs on capital, and Palestine isn’t profitable. Egypt, the gatekeeper of Gaza, could open Rafah today — but Sisi’s government would rather let people starve than risk upsetting its American benefactors. Why cut off that sweet, sweet foreign aid?
And Jordan? Jordan plays both sides like a masterful con artist. A kingdom that relies on Western aid like a junkie relies on a fix, balancing between Palestinian rhetoric and strategic obedience to Israel. Abdullah’s words are empty, his hands tied by the very alliances that keep his monarchy afloat. If his government truly cared, they’d cut ties, take a stand, and stop serving as Israel’s border security. But they won’t, because that’s not how power works in the Middle East.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about Palestine — it’s about money, control, and survival. The Arab world’s ruling elite has decided that Palestinian blood is expendable. They talk of solidarity in public while selling out their own in private. They sign trade deals, coordinate military intelligence, and do just enough theatrics to keep their people from storming their palaces.
And yet, some still wonder why the world doesn’t care. Why would anyone else care when their own don’t? If the Arab League — the supposed “united front” of the region — won’t lift a damn finger beyond issuing strongly worded statements, why would Europe? Why would the US? Why would China?
It’s all a game. A dirty, ruthless game where people die, nations are erased, and those in power cash in. And Palestine? Palestine is the chip everyone pretends to play for, while making damn sure the house always wins.