King Abdullah (SA) visits President Asad (Syria)

The visit of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to Syria is the first embarked upon by an Arab leader since the assassination of Lebanon’s Premier Rafiq Hariri in 2005. It marks a new era in relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia that will most certainly define Syria’s relations with rest of the Arab world as well.
Saudi Arabia’s keenness to break the ice with Syria through negotiations and diplomatic overtures for achieving the larger good in the Middle East has seen Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad meeting with King Abdullah three times over the last two years.
Diplomats of both countries deserve praise and admiration for their dedication and sincerity that eventually resulted in this historic visit. The timing could not more perfect, as celebrations are underway in Syria for the anniversary of the 1973 October War, a war that is definitely a reminder to the Arabs of what unity can achieve.
Observers have already expressed high hopes of what this visit might achieve. Could this be the beginning of a collective effort to tackle issues that hurt us all? Could this be the birth of a united body that results in the One Ummah that we have all been dreaming about? We definitely hope so.
Comment in Saudi Gazette.