The Mecca Program of 2005: An Ambition for RenewalThe 2005 program emerged from a widespread recognition that the Muslim world faced problems that could not be solved by military power alone. The 2026 Mecca Agreement: From Renewal to DefenseThe new agreement represents a fundamentally different kind of initiative. Palestine remains a burning issue, and the 2005 program emphasized economic cooperation and social development. The Mecca Defense Agreement of 2026 is concerned primarily with protecting the body from external attack. The real test of the Mecca agreement will therefore not be whether the three states can defend one another.