The Arab world, for all the much-vaunted seething of the “Arab street,” has never been in greater disarray: Arab Summit Collapses Amid Differences.

TUNIS, Tunisia - An Arab League summit collapsed Saturday two days before it was to start because of differences over peace overtures to Israel and a U.S.-backed plan to bring more democracy to the Middle East.

The derailing of the summit, slated to open Monday, reflected the turmoil in Arab ranks after Monday’s Israeli assassination of Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin.

Arab leaders had hoped to use the conference, which was to begin Monday, to relaunch the Saudi-crafted peace initiative and to submit their own proposals for political reforms. The Saudi plan of two years ago offered peace to Israel in return for a withdrawal from all lands overrun in the 1967 war.

However, Israel’s killing of Yassin provoked widespread outrage in the Arab world, making it politically risky for some states to pursue a peace initiative.

No new date for the summit was announced.