Dr Mustafa Bothwell Mheta 
The FIFA Soccer World Cup matches have exposed wide cracks between the attitude of Arab citizens and their rulers in the Gulf countries toward zionist Israel.
Judging by the sentiments expressed openly on TV, it is inescapable to conclude that the vast majority do not see ‘normalization’ of relations with Israel in the same way as their rulers.
The citizens of many countries that have normalized relations with Israel or are about to do so, are opposed to the policy despite what the mainstream media says.
The outpouring of sympathy and solidarity with the Palestinians seen in Qatar raises much hope that the Arab public has not abandoned the Palestinian cause.
This development pours cold water over claims that there is no solidarity with Palestine in the Arab world.
Arab citizens are openly showing it to the entire world that they are with the Palestinians in their struggle against Apartheid/zionist Israel occupation.
This is an egg on the collective faces of proponents of the so-called Abraham Accords.
There can be no normalization while Palestinians are killed by the occupying forces, their houses demolished and they face daily humiliations.
What kind of Abrahamic brotherhood is this?
Israel continues to do the exact opposite of what it wants the world to believe.
And with the so-called Abraham Accords, Israel wanted to score against Islam by projecting the falsehood that it is the Muslims who are refusing peace.
Muslims passionately believe in peace but there must first be justice, especially for the long-oppressed Palestinian people.
However, the entire Arab citizenry, indeed the whole world, has seen through this façade.
They are openly denouncing the hypocritical accords as a Public Relations exercise.
It has failed, thanks to Apartheid/zionist Israel’s brutal policies.
Judging by the sentiments of Arab citizens, Israel is not welcome in that part of the world.
It clearly leaves the Arabian rulers—proponents of this disastrous policy—extremely worried.
The attitude of their subjects whom they thought were naïve and would accept the so-called Abraham Accords piecemeal without question, has shattered this myth.
Further, as long as the zionist entity continues with its repression and murder of the Palestinian people, the so-called normalization will not work.
The end result might have grave repercussions for both Israel and the Arabian regimes.
Instability could rock most of these Gulf countries in the not-too-distant future.
Some of these Arab rulers are actually gambling with their political future for the sake of Israel.
What makes it interesting is that if ordinary citizens in these countries are with the Palestinians, then the rulers would find it difficult to navigate such a policy.
The zionists thought it will be a walk in the park with the treacherous Abraham Accords in place.
The citizens of these countries have said openly and loudly to the Israelis, they are not welcome.
Dr. Mustafa Mheta is Senior researcher/Head of Africa Desk at the Media Review Network in Johannesburg, South Africa and Dean, School of Languages at Somali National University (SNU) Mogadishu
