Arab states claim international force to protect Palestinians

Arab foreign ministers called this Monday for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to "set up an international force" to protect Palestinians against the atrocities committed by Israel.

"Arab countries call the security council to hold an emergency meeting to set up an international force to protect Palestinians," says a statement released this Monday by the Arab League at the end of a special meeting of foreign ministers.

The heads of diplomacies will be conducting direct contacts with the USA, Russia and the European Union to ask them to take a stance on Israeli measures, particularly the sealing of territories it is occupying, says the document.

A Moroccan party, led by secretary of state for foreign affairs and cooperation Taieb Fassi Fihri, is in Cairo where they took part in the Arab summit follow-up committee, composed of Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain and Tunisia. The committee will draft a report to be referred to the Arab summit slated for this March 27-28 in Amman.

The Arab League is also hosting the 115th session of its ordinary council that will debate Arab cooperation and coordination of stances on regional and international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and obstacles to the peace process.