ABSTRACT
The analyses of the historical foundations, the economic bases and the interplay between state and society lead to an overall impression of progressive consolidation of the state structures that formed at various times during the first half of this century. The most common image of the Arab states in the media and in most of the literature is, in contrast, one of weak states precariously ruling over highly segmented societies. Integration is convenient to differentiate between integration and unification; the former refers to economic, cultural or societal processes, the latter refers to a predominantly institutional content. In the last forty years the Arab world has been subjected to a multiplicity of external threats, and it is interesting to see how their impact on Arab integration evolved. The isolation of Egypt following the Camp David agreements underlines the connection between Arab integration and peace with Israel.
