UN General Assembly
1983

9. But, as I said, dark clouds loomed over the Arab ranks, and certain kings and heads of State procrastinated in meeting to assess and plan the next step. A few months later we were shocked by the Lebanese bomb, which became an obstacle impeding our advance towards further results. The Lebanese bomb exploded as if the enemy chose to have that explosion at that time because he knew the Arabs well. We have to say frankly that the enemy thus put a small tree in front of us, the Arab leaders. We are behind that tree and have lost our view of the forest. We had thought that by solving the problem of one country, an extremely complex problem in view of the multiplicity of ethnic communities, religions and factions, we would solve the general problem. We walked blindly into the trap set by the common enemy. We naively believed that we could solve the general Arab problem by solving that of Lebanon. Thus, as I have mentioned, we sat blocked behind that small tree instead of reaching the goal. That is why, as I said before, we lost perspective.