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CAIRO (IslamOnline) - The Arab public reacted angrily Sunday to a vaguely worded communiqué by 22 Arab countries that spoke of future actions against Israel.
A spokesman for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said Arab summit decisions did not live up to the expectations of the Arab masses who have been calling for tough action towards the Israeli state. At the end of a two-day emergency summit of the Arab League, Arab leaders threatened placing normalization of relations with Israel on hold if Israel did not put an end to the atrocities committed against Palestinian civilians. They, however, stopped short from declaring a total end of relations with Israel. Currently, only three Arab countries have full diplomatic relations with Israel: Egypt, Jordan and Mauritania. All three governments have, thus far, failed to take any drastic measures against Israel, as many of their citizens have urged over the past three weeks.
Israel's clashes against Palestinians have claimed 113 Palestinian lives - one third of which are children - during three weeks of protests that initiated after a visit by Israeli hard-line Likud leader Arial Sharon to the al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine. Jews state the site is also holy to them as well. At Cairo University, at least 30 trucks loaded with policemen surrounded the country's largest academic institution in anticipation of student protests. Students have been demonstrating in support of Palestinians calling for an end to Egypt's relations with Israel. Some have even called for war. "The Arabs should have resorted with force," said Ahmed Soliman, a 21-year-old engineering student. "[Egyptian President Hosni] Mubarak should have declared a war. Israel only understands the language of force." In Damascus, Ahmed Jebrial, the Palestinian leader of Popular Liberation Front said the final resolution was meek. "They never mentioned the United States by name, although it is that moves Israel," said Jebrial, who is based in the Syrian capital. Jebrial opposes the Middle East process and has often called for the taking up of arms against Israel. But Israel expressed relief at the result of the summit. A spokesman said it was a victory for the voice of "wisdom". Diplomatic sources state that two front-line countries that have peace agreements with Israel were instrumental in calming the atmosphere at the summit after some countries, like Iraq, Yemen and Sudan, called for war. The League agreed to create two Arab funds worth $1 billon. The Aqasa Intifada Fund would raise $200 million for the families of Palestinians killed or wounded. The other, known as al-Jerusalem Fund, would provide $800 million to protect the "Arab and Islamic identity of Jerusalem." The Qatar-based television satellite channel, al-Jazeera, showed Palestinians condemning the resolutions, asking for arms and not money. "We don't want their money," said one Palestinian waving his hand angrily. "We want arms. If the Arab leaders cannot fight, then at least they should arm us and we will fight." A Hamas spokesman said it was expecting Arab countries to allow volunteers to join ranks with the Palestinian resistance. He also said the group, which commands wide support among Palestinians, was expecting a decision by oil-producing Arab countries to cut down oil production so as to pressure Western countries that back Israel's heavy handed behavior. The Libyan delegation walked out of the summit Saturday, complaining that leaders were refusing to call outright for Arab nations to cut ties with Israel. |
The leaders said they would urge the U.N. Security Council to set up a special war crimes tribunal similar to those investigating crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. 
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