Qatar under pressure from Iran to cut Israeli ties

NICOSIA — Qatar is under Arab and Iranian pressure to sever commercial ties with Israel.

Iran and several Arab countries are threatening to boycott the Organization of Islamic Conference parley in Doha on Nov. 12. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, the current president of the group, has threatened not to show up to the session.

"Qatar is naturally expected to positively answer the Muslim and Arab heads of states and close down its trade office in Tel Aviv," Hassan Qashqavi, a key parliamentarian, said. "Qatari officials are well aware that Iran made huge efforts to pass the OIC presidency to Qatar and it is at least expected to limit its relations with Tel Aviv."

Qatar remains the only Arab country that has refused to sever ties with Israel. Earlier, Morocco, Oman and Tunisia ended commercial ties amid the Arab League summit last month.

The OIC meeting will discuss Israel's mini-war with the Palestinians and include Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. The OIC presidency is expected to be handed over to Qatar during the two-day summit. Qatar's neighbor, Saudi Arabia, is said to have transferred $30 million to the Palestinians.

Iran was critical of the Arab League summit, which allowed Egypt and Jordan to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. Khatami vowed to use the OIC meeting to impose a more vigorous response against Israel.

In Teheran, Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Harbah said his country would expand security cooperation with Iran and expressed hope that the Islamic republic would stand by Syria's side in any war with Israel.

Jordan has also been under pressure to reduce ties with Israel amid rising unrest in the Hashemite kingdom. Jordan's King Abdullah returned from talks in the United Arab Emirates amid new security restrictions imposed on Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Officials said the restrictions includes a ban on residents from the Palestinian territories with temporary Jordanian passports from entering the kingdom. They said about 500,000 Palestinians are affected.

At the same time, Jordanian authorities have launched a crackdown on suspected Palestinian militants within refugee camps in the Hashemite kingdom. Those arrested are believed linked to the violent demonstration that took place last month as more than 10,000 Palestinians tried to cross the Jordan river to the Israeli-controlled West Bank.