The ongoing crisis in the Middle East is fundamentally tied to the deeper crisis of the Arab nation-state. 

The regional order is built upon a framework of independent states, but this order is stable only as long as each of its constituent states remains resilient and interdependent. As some of these states have begun to weaken and fragment, the entire structure has started to falter, leading to the breakdown of the regional order.

The Arab Mashreq (the east of the Arab world) constitutes the weakest link in the Middle Eastern system due to the artificial origins of its states. In regions where nation-states emerged organically, social and political movements led the struggle for independence and unity, solidifying the nation-state. However, in the Mashreq, states were artificially crafted, with borders drawn by the colonial powers of Britain and France. This led to the creation of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, the latter of which then transformed into Israel. 

Today, of these five states, three are considered failed states that are unable to assert control over arms or secure sovereignty. Another persists under tremendous pressure and existential threats. Israel, meanwhile, exists as a settler-colonial state, secured by military might but viewed by some as fragile and surviving within fortified borders.

From their inception, these constructed states have struggled to establish a cohesive identity, construct a shared narrative, and justify their boundaries. Although the artificial borders of the former colonial powers are common in regions such as Africa and Asia, few regions demonstrate such an intense crisis of legitimacy as that faced by Mashreq states.

Further compounding this crisis are pressures from below and above. Internally, Arab societies are often divided along tribal, clan, and sectarian lines, carrying historic divisions that have been brought into the state framework. These groups frequently view the state not as a legitimate entity but as a provisional arrangement for advancing their own interests.

Consequently, control of the state has sometimes become a prize in a competition among factions, leading to sectarian and tribal states that conceal these divisions behind ideological facades.

While subnational divisions are common in many postcolonial states, countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia have managed to establish cohesive nation-states by creating inclusive governance structures and equitable systems. In contrast, no significant political or cultural movements have emerged within the Arab Mashreq to foster a sense of national identity. Instead, transnational ideologies, including Arab nationalism and Political Islam, have promoted identities that transcend borders, dismissing the nation-state as inadequate or as a reduction of an idealised Arab nation or Islamic Caliphate.

These pan-Arab and Islamic ideologies have stripped the nation-state of legitimacy from above, while tribes and sects have weakened it from below. This dual challenge has eroded the identity and sovereignty of states in the Mashreq, spreading even to other Arab regions with stronger national identities. 

Nevertheless, the nation-state remains the most viable framework for addressing the crises within Arab societies and the broader region. There is still an opportunity to rectify past failures and reinforce the nation-state as a foundation for stability and unity in the Arab world.

* The writer is a senior adviser at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 7 November, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly