ABSTRACT
The Arab League has often been criticized, also by the member states themselves, for being ineffectual in enhancing regional security. The Charter contains a very strong prohibition against interference in the political systems of other member states. The relative Arab unity on the question of Palestine came to an abrupt end after Sadat's visit to Jerusalem and the process which led to the Camp David Accord and Egypt's peace treaty with Israel. The lack of political unity among the Arab states has been a major limitation in the organization's effectiveness. As indicated above, the common approach to the Palestinian issue ended with the Egyptian peace treaty with Israel. While the majority of the Arab states condemned the invasion, it soon became obvious that the League lacked mechanisms to deal with the situation. Instead it was left to the United States to assemble the coalition of the willing which eventually forced the Iraqi retreat from Kuwait.
