CAIRO — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has again emerged as the
most reliable American ally in the Arab world.
U.S. officials expressed satisfaction with Mubarak's leadership of the
Arab League summit, which ended on Sunday. The officials said Mubarak did
not allow Syria and other hardline Arab states to impose any decisions that
would block the resumption of the peace process or sever relations with
Israel or the United States.
During the summit, Iraq called for holy war, Libya called for a military
campaign and Syria demanded the resumption of the Arab economic boycott
against Israel.
In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak also expressed
satisfaction with Mubarak's role. Barak said Mubarak led the summit "in a
responsible and considered fashion and sees regional peace and
Israeli-Palestinian agreement as [the] main goal for all states in the
region."
Arab diplomatic sources said Mubarak's task was easier than at first
glance. The sources said Mubarak quickly won the consent of oil-rich Gulf
states adamant in their refusal to use oil as a weapon or allow Palestinians
to return as laborers.
"There was much Gulf resentment against [Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser] Arafat," a Gulf diplomat said. "Arafat is a force to deal with but
gone are the days when he can dictate to the Gulf states."
Instead, Mubarak allowed the Arab League summit to vent anger toward
Israel without preventing anybody from maintaining relations with the Jewish
state. Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Mussa, however, warned that the Arabs
will halt regional cooperation with Israel.
"We mean business," Mussa told a news conference after the summit. "It
is time out for the peace process. There will be no negotiations [with
Israel.]"
But Mussa refused to say whether Egypt and Jordan will sever diplomatic
relations with Israel, a response that disappointed Palestinian diplomats.
They had demanded more concrete pledges of aid as well as an agreement by
the Gulf states to employ 130,000 Palestinians.
"We still want more," Palestinian Authority International Cooperation
Minister Nabil Shaath said.
The final summit communique called for a United Nations war crimes
tribunal on Israeli attacks on the Palestinians as well as the establishment
of two Arab funds worth $1 billion. PA Chairman Yasser Arafat has demanded
that Saudi Arabia immediately contribute its pledge of $250 million.
But Arab diplomatic sources doubted that the full sum would ever be
raised.
On Monday, the Iraqi press blasted the Arab league for it's policy on
Israel and called for a holy war against those leaders who made the "failed
decision" on Israel. The papers also urged the populations of the Gulf
States and Saudi Arabia to "revolt against their leaders."