|
OIC Summit Urges U.S. Action, Protection of Palestinians
DOHA, Dec. 10 (News Agencies) - Representatives of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims denounced on Monday what they called Israel's repression of Palestinians and urged the United States to help salvage the sinking Middle East peace process.
"We urge the United States and the international community to work for an immediate end to Israel's policies which only lead to the destruction of the last chance for peace in our region," Qatar's emir told an emergency meeting of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the current OIC head, also called for the setting up of a high-profile Islamic panel to work toward ending 14 months of Israeli-Palestinian violence and a resumption of Middle East peacemaking.
Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem said the panel was among proposals discussed by Arab and Islamic foreign ministers before the OIC meeting in the Qatari capital Doha.
The panel would be asked to visit Washington and other key capitals to explain the Islamic position in support of an independent Palestinian state, he told news agencies.
Critics have often lambasted the OIC for doing little to support the Palestinians since its creation in 1969.
But Qatar's emir told OIC ministers: "This meeting should not be a platform for speeches. We must make of it a real test for our collective will and historic responsibility toward the Palestinian cause in words and deeds."
Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, who called for the summit last Monday after Israel launched its fiercest air attacks since the start of the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, was unable to attend due to the Israeli actions.
In a speech read on his behalf by chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, Arafat said the Israeli attacks had reached a "dangerous" level and renewed a call for international protection, a demand rejected by the United States and Israel.
"Our people have no other choice but to resist [Israeli] aggression and occupation," Erekat said, speaking for Arafat. "It's a legitimate right."
The strikes against Palestinian Authority security installations and symbols of power were in retaliation for a spate of Palestinian bombings, which led rightwing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to label the Palestinian Authority a "terror-supporting entity".
The OIC also demanded international protection for Palestinians in a draft statement, which some participants told Agence France-Presse (AFP) was drawn up under heated discussion.
However, Israel and Washington, whose support for the Jewish state has enraged Muslim public opinion, have so far ruled out the deployment of such a force.
The draft urges "a halt to Israeli aggressions against Palestinians, the end of settlement and the implementation of the Mitchell report and Tenet plan," to re-launch dialogue between the warring parties.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, who visited Israel and Palestinian-ruled areas last week in a failed bid for a truce, blamed Arafat's absence at the talks on Israel.
"The obstacles placed against President Arafat's participation at this meeting are part of...Israeli aggression against not only the Palestinian people, but also international legitimacy," said Maher. "We call for the adoption of a firm and decisive Islamic position to support and assist our people in their steadfastness and legitimate resistance."
He said Palestinians needed swift action, including the establishment of an "international mechanism that can oblige Israel to stop its aggression and war against our people."
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa described the Palestinian uprising as a legitimate struggle for independence, but said civilian lives should be spared, an apparent rejection of last week's attacks that killed at least 25 Israelis.
"The Palestinians are in a state of self-defense against foreign military occupation and not the other way round," Moussa said. "But there is a need to protect civilians and isolate them from areas of conflict."
At least 1,056 people have been killed since the beginning of the latest Intifada, or uprising, 15 months ago, with about 800 of the victims being Palestinians.
|
