Arab cannot join anti-terrorism alliance along with Israel
Regional-Israel, Politics, 9/22/2001

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa announced that the Arab countries couldn't join an anti-terrorism alliance which includes Israel

In an interview with A1 Jazeera satellite channel on Friday, Moussa said Israel's exclusion from any alliance that groups Arabs has been a precondition for Arabs to join, recalling the gulf war II.

He said neither the Arab League nor any of the Arab countries have received any offer to join any alliance.

He said cooperation in terrorism combat has been decided before by Arabs, and there is atingn Arab binding agreement in this regard.

He said that Arab stances vis-à-vis the purported alliance is almost identical and their responses to the proposals were clear. "At the end, no Arab army can attack Afghanistan," he added.

He said "from my own point of view, no Arab army should attack Afghanistan under any circumstances." However, he added, this issue should be decided by the Arab countries, not the AL Chief.

"Afghanistan is fraught with problems and no cogent evidences incriminating bin laden have yet been offered," said Moussa, voicing belief that a military alliance is not the proper solution.

"The policies, attitudes and acts of bin laden are blurred and he should rather be tried, not to have armies mobilized in the way reported by the media to get him arrested," added Moussa.

"The Arab and Islamic response is not meant to mobilize armies but rather to rally international cooperation which is internationally acceptable," he said.

Moussa said that he accidentally learned that security contacts are going on between the US and Sudan.

He ruled out possible targeting of Arab countries under the pretext of terrorism. If that occurs, matters might turn upside down, he remarked.

Targeting bases in south Lebanon will imply that Israelis a partner in the attacks and that the whole issue was meant to serve its interests, said Moussa, noting that this is unacceptable.

"All Arab countries will unite along one line if any Arab country was attacked," he added. "There will be a red line that should not be crossed," he noted.

He ruled out possible Islamic or Arab participation in an alliance in which Israel or Sharon were partners.

"Israel is slaughtering Palestinians, bombing them up, bombarding them with fighter jets and Apaches and physically liquidating them," said Moussa.

"Such a state should not be part of an anti-terrorism campaign," remarked Moussa.

Previous Stories:
  The Arabs and the West   (9/18/2001)
  The Observer: Why the Israeli element in the attacks in America is ignored   (9/17/2001)
  Israeli officials and the campaign against Islam   (9/17/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search