Arab League calls for UN intervention in Gaza
Jerusalem Post ^ | Oct. 3, 2004 | KHALED ABU TOAMEH

The 22-member Arab League agreed on Sunday to ask the UN General
Assembly to discuss "the grave Israeli aggression on the Palestinian
people," and suggested a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting, Arab League
representatives called on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to prepare a
report on the Israeli "crimes" against the Palestinian people and
asked governments and relief agencies to send humanitarian aid.

Several Arab countries and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council
have condemned the Israeli offensive. The GCC on Sunday called it
"organized state terrorism."

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the attacks were "in
violation of international laws and the Geneva agreements."

On Saturday, the Palestinian Authority's permanent representative to
the league Mohammed Sobeih said the league would meet at the request
of the PA to "discuss the savage and ongoing Israeli aggression
against the Palestinian people in all cities, villages and refugee
camps, especially in the Gaza Strip."

The international community sends forces to the Congo and Sudan, but
ignores Israel's war crimes, Sobeih said.

The Palestinians Saturday criticized the international community for
failing to interfere with Israel to halt the IDF operation in the
northern Gaza Strip and expressed disappointment at the Arab world for
once again turning its back on them.

A general strike was observed in many West Bank and Gaza Strip
communities Saturday to protest against the IDF operation designed to
put an end to the launching of Kassam rockets at Israel.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat implored the
international community and peace movements in Israel "to move quickly
and immediately to stop the inhumane, monstrous and racist Israeli
military atrocities against our people."

Arafat made his call during an urgent meeting of the PA cabinet in
Ramallah to discuss the latest escalation in the Gaza Strip. The
cabinet declared a state of emergency and instructed PA ministries to
help the residents of the northern Gaza Strip.

"Our people will bow only to Allah," Arafat said at the meeting. "Our
people will not succumb to these crimes."

Arafat said he had contacted the representatives of the Quartet, the
Islamic Organization Conference and the Arab League to brief them on
the ongoing IDF operation. He noted that 63 Palestinians had been
killed and more than 170 injured since the beginning of the operation.

Arafat claimed that Israel was using internationally prohibited
weapons, including depleted uranium and phosphorous bombs, against
Palestinian "civilians."

He also ordered the deduction of one day's work from the salaries of
PA and PLO employees to assist the victims of the IDF operation.

The cabinet meeting was attended by PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, who
cut short a visit to Jordan and returned to Ramallah on Saturday
morning. Qurei was scheduled to visit Russia and Turkey, but was
forced to return home amid growing criticism of his performance.

The armed wing of Fatah, Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, on Friday called on
Arafat to sack Qurei and his "incompetent" government, noting that the
PA prime minister was on vacation with his family in Jordan while the
Palestinians are being subjected to a military onslaught.

"We urge brother Abu Amar (Arafat) to put an end to the term of this
failed government, which has been still born and unable to justify its
existence," the group said in a leaflet distributed in the West Bank.

The leaflet called on Palestinian legislators to help in bringing
about an end to Qurei's cabinet and to the establishment of a new
national unity government. Several legislators have also joined the
chorus of attacks on Qurei, accusing him of failing to assume his
responsibilities. They said they were planning to table a
no-confidence motion against Qurei's cabinet when the Palestinian
Legislative Council resumes its sessions later this week.

PA Minister for Negotiations Saeb Erekat branded the IDF operation a
"massacre and state terror."

He lashed out at the Arab world and the US for failing to denounce the
Israeli operation. "The international response did not rise to the
anticipated minimum level of expectations," he said. "The Arab world
is in a state of schism. We have become a nation that is unable to
influence anything."

Bassam Abu Sharif, member of the Palestine National Council (the PLO's
parliament-in-exile) and a close aide to Arafat, warned the EU, UN,
and Russia that they were on the verge of completely losing their
credibility in the Middle East because of their failure to halt the
IDF operation.

"Issuing bashful statements repeatedly condemning Israel's war crimes
against the Palestinian people will only result in losing confidence
in their ability to the violation of international laws and
conventions," he said. "The Israeli army is perpetrating unprecedented
crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip because of the failure of the
UN and the Quartet to take practical and deterrent measures."

The Palestinian Writers' Association issued a strongly worded
statement accusing the Arab governments of suppressing al forms of
solidarity with the Palestinians. "The Arab masses are being
intimidated and prevented from expressing their support for the
Palestinians," the statement said. "The Arab governments, on the
orders of the US, have also stopped financial aid to our people in
order to starve us and force us to surrender."

----------------------------------------------------------------------
"John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and many of my comrades in
North Viet Nam prison camps took torture to avoid saying." -- Paul
Galanti POW Jan. 1966 - Feb. 1973

"Long term commitment in relationships is only necessary because it takes
so damn long to raise children. Marriage may well be some kind of trick
to keep the males around beyond sexual satiation." -- Captain Compassion

"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant

Joseph R. Darancette
res0mp8t@NOSPAMverizon.net

Arab League calls for UN intervention in Gaza
Jerusalem Post ^ | Oct. 3, 2004 | KHALED ABU TOAMEH

The 22-member Arab League agreed on Sunday to ask the UN General
Assembly to discuss "the grave Israeli aggression on the Palestinian
people," and suggested a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting, Arab League
representatives called on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to prepare a
report on the Israeli "crimes" against the Palestinian people and
asked governments and relief agencies to send humanitarian aid.

Several Arab countries and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council
have condemned the Israeli offensive. The GCC on Sunday called it
"organized state terrorism."

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the attacks were "in
violation of international laws and the Geneva agreements."

On Saturday, the Palestinian Authority's permanent representative to
the league Mohammed Sobeih said the league would meet at the request
of the PA to "discuss the savage and ongoing Israeli aggression
against the Palestinian people in all cities, villages and refugee
camps, especially in the Gaza Strip."

The international community sends forces to the Congo and Sudan, but
ignores Israel's war crimes, Sobeih said.

The Palestinians Saturday criticized the international community for
failing to interfere with Israel to halt the IDF operation in the
northern Gaza Strip and expressed disappointment at the Arab world for
once again turning its back on them.

A general strike was observed in many West Bank and Gaza Strip
communities Saturday to protest against the IDF operation designed to
put an end to the launching of Kassam rockets at Israel.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat implored the
international community and peace movements in Israel "to move quickly
and immediately to stop the inhumane, monstrous and racist Israeli
military atrocities against our people."

Arafat made his call during an urgent meeting of the PA cabinet in
Ramallah to discuss the latest escalation in the Gaza Strip. The
cabinet declared a state of emergency and instructed PA ministries to
help the residents of the northern Gaza Strip.

"Our people will bow only to Allah," Arafat said at the meeting. "Our
people will not succumb to these crimes."

Arafat said he had contacted the representatives of the Quartet, the
Islamic Organization Conference and the Arab League to brief them on
the ongoing IDF operation. He noted that 63 Palestinians had been
killed and more than 170 injured since the beginning of the operation.

Arafat claimed that Israel was using internationally prohibited
weapons, including depleted uranium and phosphorous bombs, against
Palestinian "civilians."

He also ordered the deduction of one day's work from the salaries of
PA and PLO employees to assist the victims of the IDF operation.

The cabinet meeting was attended by PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, who
cut short a visit to Jordan and returned to Ramallah on Saturday
morning. Qurei was scheduled to visit Russia and Turkey, but was
forced to return home amid growing criticism of his performance.

The armed wing of Fatah, Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, on Friday called on
Arafat to sack Qurei and his "incompetent" government, noting that the
PA prime minister was on vacation with his family in Jordan while the
Palestinians are being subjected to a military onslaught.

"We urge brother Abu Amar (Arafat) to put an end to the term of this
failed government, which has been still born and unable to justify its
existence," the group said in a leaflet distributed in the West Bank.

The leaflet called on Palestinian legislators to help in bringing
about an end to Qurei's cabinet and to the establishment of a new
national unity government. Several legislators have also joined the
chorus of attacks on Qurei, accusing him of failing to assume his
responsibilities. They said they were planning to table a
no-confidence motion against Qurei's cabinet when the Palestinian
Legislative Council resumes its sessions later this week.

PA Minister for Negotiations Saeb Erekat branded the IDF operation a
"massacre and state terror."

He lashed out at the Arab world and the US for failing to denounce the
Israeli operation. "The international response did not rise to the
anticipated minimum level of expectations," he said. "The Arab world
is in a state of schism. We have become a nation that is unable to
influence anything."

Bassam Abu Sharif, member of the Palestine National Council (the PLO's
parliament-in-exile) and a close aide to Arafat, warned the EU, UN,
and Russia that they were on the verge of completely losing their
credibility in the Middle East because of their failure to halt the
IDF operation.

"Issuing bashful statements repeatedly condemning Israel's war crimes
against the Palestinian people will only result in losing confidence
in their ability to the violation of international laws and
conventions," he said. "The Israeli army is perpetrating unprecedented
crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip because of the failure of the
UN and the Quartet to take practical and deterrent measures."

The Palestinian Writers' Association issued a strongly worded
statement accusing the Arab governments of suppressing al forms of
solidarity with the Palestinians. "The Arab masses are being
intimidated and prevented from expressing their support for the
Palestinians," the statement said. "The Arab governments, on the
orders of the US, have also stopped financial aid to our people in
order to starve us and force us to surrender."

----------------------------------------------------------------------
"John Kerry gave the enemy for free what I and many of my comrades in
North Viet Nam prison camps took torture to avoid saying." -- Paul
Galanti POW Jan. 1966 - Feb. 1973

"Long term commitment in relationships is only necessary because it takes
so damn long to raise children. Marriage may well be some kind of trick
to keep the males around beyond sexual satiation." -- Captain Compassion

"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant

Joseph R. Darancette
res0mp8t@NOSPAMverizon.net