The Arab League (Features of its Establishment, Mechanisms of Operation, and the Test of the Palestinian Cause)

Abstract

This study examines the origin of the name of the League of Arab States, the early stages of its establishment, and the circumstances surrounding the adoption of the Alexandria Protocol, which laid the foundation for its Charter and defined its core principles and objectives. It also provides an overview of the League’s organizational structure and institutions, culminating in an analysis of its position on the Palestinian cause as the central issue of the Arab nation. The study proceeds from the assumption that the historical and contractual basis of the League—embodied in the principles of the Alexandria Protocol—was founded on cooperation while preserving state sovereignty. This framework produced an organizational model characterized more by coordination than by binding authority, which has affected the effectiveness of the League’s institutions and contributed to the inconsistency and fluctuation of its stances on the Palestinian issue across different periods. The study adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology and is divided into two main sections: the first discusses the definition and origins of the League, while the second addresses its organizational structure and its central cause. The study concludes with the main findings and recommendations.