Arab league welcomes Morocco's decision to shut down Israeli liaison office

The Arab League welcomed Morocco's decision to shut down its liaison office in Tel Aviv and Israel's office in Rabat.

The League secretary general, Esmat Abdul Maguid, told the Egyptian press the decision confirms the Arab states' firm will to implement resolutions adopted by the emergency Arab summit, held last week-end in Cairo.

A Moroccan official statement explains the decision was made "in view of the failure of the peace process following the inhuman acts perpetrated for weeks by the Israeli forces against Palestinians and the resort to the machinery of war to kill innocent civilians" and "given Morocco's responsibilities and commitments within the Al-Quds committee chaired by King Mohammed VI,"

The liaison bureaus in Rabat and Tel Aviv were opened in September 1994. Morocco had called back the head of its liaison bureau in Tel Aviv for consultation in early days of the Al Aqsa Intifadah.

Meanwhile, Egyptian foreign minister, Amr Moussa, announced that the emergency Arab summit follow-up commitee will meet next week under the chairmanship of Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak.

Moussa told the Egyptian TV channel, a second emergency Arab summit is likely to be summoned depending on development in the Palestinian territories.

The committee groups foreign ministers of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar and Palestine.