Arab League: No ties with Israel yet

Secretary General Amr Moussa says, ‘Arab, Muslim countries should not rush to establish ties with Israel now that it has withdrawn from Gaza, Israel’s policies do not deserve Arab courtesy.’ Acknowledges that United States might be pressuring Arab and Muslim states to establish contact with Israel

Reuters
Published: 09.29.05, 15:02 / Israel News

Arab and Muslim countries should not rush to establish ties with Israel now that it has withdrawn from Gaza, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa was quoted on Thursday as saying.

“Israel’s policies do not deserve Arab courtesy,” Moussa said in an interview with the Arabic newspaper Asharq al-Awsat conducted earlier this month at the United Nations in New York.

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“Why are they offering (Israel) free rewards?” he said, referring to Israel’s Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom’s meetings with ministers from Pakistan, Jordan, Tunisia, Indonesia and Qatar at the United Nations.

“I don’t understand why they are hailing Israel. Because of the withdrawal from Gaza? Doesn’t every one know that this is an incomplete withdrawal and that settlements are still being built and that the wall is being built?” he asked.

Israel completed its withdrawal from Gaza earlier this month, sparking hopes that peacemaking with the Palestinians could be revived. A flurry of diplomatic activity followed the pullout, signaling a thaw in ties with Muslim and Arab nations.

Harsh critic of Sharon

Moussa said the Arab League did not oppose normalizing ties with Israel, but said Arab countries had a “historic obligation” towards the Palestinians and that any ties must be preceded by an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“Abiding by the Beirut initiative is key,” he said, referring to an Arab Middle East peace proposal offering Israel normal ties if it withdraws from all occupied Arab land.

“Arab policies must be based on achieving gains for the Palestinians,” he said. “What I see now is exaggerated and unnecessary.”

Moussa acknowledged the United States might be pressuring Arab and Muslim states to establish contact with Israel. However, he urged all countries holding talks to “come to us first, listen to what we have to say, maybe it will be useful.”

Israel now has full diplomatic ties with four major Islamic countries—Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Mauritania.

Moussa, a former Egyptian foreign minister, has been at the head of the fractious Arab League for five years. He is a staunch advocate of Palestinian demands for a state and a harsh critic of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s policies.

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