CAIRO — The Arab world expressed condemnation of Israel for the
fighting in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
But leading Palestinians said that besides rhetoric, the Arab world has
done nothing.
"We call on the international community, and particularly on powerful
states, to act immediately to put an end to the renewed Israeli aggression,"
Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss said.
The Arab League blamed Israel for the violence. This, as virtually every
Arab country issued condemnations of the Jewish state.
In Jordan, Palestinians called for a revolt. More than 1,000
Palestinians demonstrated at the Bakaa refugee camp outside Amman as
opposition leaders are planning an anti-normalization conference later this
month.
Meanwhile, Gulf, leaders urged for the convening of an Arab summit and
called for confrontation with Israel.
In Cairo, the head of the state-supported Al Azhar seminary, Sheik
Mohammed Tantawi, called for attacks on Israel. Meanwhile, Egyptian
militants called for revenge attacks against Israel.
"Denunciations are no longer effective against the Israeli military
machine," Gamaa Islamiya leader Rifai Ahmed Taha "These pigs will only be
dissuaded by murder."
But the violence did not affect the current visits by Arab leaders to
Cairo. On Monday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met his Syrian
counterpart, Bashar Assad. Mubarak and Assad agreed to convene a summit to
discuss the violence in the West Bank and Gaza.
"From this forum, I call for an Arab summit to meet as quickly as
possible," Mubarak said, without suggesting a date.
Later, Libyan ruler Moammar Khaddafy arrives in Egypt.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Mussa said Assad and Mubarak focused on
the fighting in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "There is complete agreement
as to the seriousness of the situation and that the negative repercussions
would adversely affect the peace process, which is itself in a very
precarious state," Mussa said.
In Beirut, Palestinians in Lebanon and loyal to Palestinian Authority
Chairman Yasser Arafat warned of military attacks against Israel. Hizbullah
deputy chief Naim Kassem called for a meeting of the United Nations.
"Does not this dangerous development deserve a meeting of the Security
Council to adopt deterrent measures and tight sanctions in confrontation of
this Israeli criminality?" Kassem asked.
In Paris, French Foreign Minister Herbert Vedrine and U.S. Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright criticized last week's visit by Likud opposition
leader Ariel Sharon to Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Vedrine blamed the Sharon
visit for the subsequent clashes.
"I deplore the violence which has resulted," Vedrine said. "I call on
the two sides to show their sense of responsibility, to stop the spiral of
violence and to intensify their efforts for peace."
Vedrine will later meet with PA International Cooperation Minister Nabil
Shaath in Paris.