International
Turn words into action: OIC
DOHA, DEC. 11. The world's Islamic countries meeting in Qatar found a new realism in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks and, dropping the usual anti-Zionist rhetoric, opted for diplomatic action directed at Washington to contain the Israeli military offensive.
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in a final statement issued late yesterday called on the U.S. administration to implement the ``positive elements'' of its new support for a Palestinian State. The body representing 1.2 billion Muslims, urged Washington to set a ``precise mechanism and calendar, to turn words into action'' after the U.S. President, Mr. George Bush and the Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell outlined the new approach last month.
``The U.S. is called upon to implement positive elements contained in their vision of a settlement of the Palestinian question,'' the statement said, although it did add criticism of Washington's ``unlimited'' support for the Hebrew State. It was a clear break with the traditional inflammatory rhetoric which has often plagues Arab and Islamic reaction to the Israel-Palestinian issue. The OIC set up a Ministeral committee to lobby on behalf of the Palestinians.
Hardline Syria as well as Mali, Morocco, Qatar and the chief of the OIC have been tasked with contacts with the United States, Russia and European Union, the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Mr. Mohammed Bin Aissa told AFP. According to a final statement the committee is to work for an ``immediate halt to the Israeli aggression and plans to dismantle the Palestinian Authority.'' It will also lobby for international observers to be sent to protect Palestinians, Foreign Ministers decided in the meeting which grouped 51 of the OIC's 57 members.
Following the September 11 suicide hijackings in the U.S., which have been blamed on Muslim Arabs and brought accusations that some elements were financing terror, the OIC countries, ``preferred to be realistic in their attitude towards the U.S. and Israel,'' one delegate told AFP. ``The meeting has shown a sense of responsibility...even if it did not fulfil Islamic and Arab aspirations,'' said the Qatari Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem al-Thani. He sought to play down calls for a break in relations between Israel and the Arab or Islamic States which have diplomatic ties with Israel. ``Breaking off relations would make no sense and the problem is not on this level,'' he told a press conference in Doha. ``Our public views should not be mocked,'' he said, stressing that he preferred peaceful action to settle the West Asia conflict.- AFP
Two children killed
Telegraph reports from Jerusalem:
Israeli helicopters fired rockets into a queue of Palestinian cars in the centre of Hebron on Monday, killing two children aged three and 13, in a botched attempt on the life of a leading Islamic activist. The target was Mohammed Sidr, 24, a member of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad who the Israelis said organised a shooting in Jerusalem in which two persons died.
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