Arab chambers of commerce decide to boycott Euro-Med meeting
Arab business leaders Sunday decided not to attend the second conference of the European Union-Mediterranean (Euro-Med) chambers of commerce, slated for May 28 in Barcelona, Spain, to protest Israel's participation amid the Jewish state's escalating attacks on the Palestinians.
Khaled Abu Ismail, president of Egypt's Union of Chambers of Commerce (UCC), said that he agreed with leaders of the chambers of commerce in the Arab Mediterranean countries, including Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Morocco and Libya, on such a decision.
Ismail urged all Arab merchants to completely boycott Israeli products and extend aid to the Palestinians.
The UCC issued a statement Sunday on behalf of Egypt's merchants, voicing anger over the Israeli barbarous actions against the Palestinians, especially Friday's Israeli bombings of Gaza and the West Bank by using F-16 fighters for the first time since the 1967 Mideast War.
It said that the UCC will stick to its firm stance in dealing with the Israelis until Israel withdraws its troops from the occupied Arab territories and restores the Palestinian legitimate rights in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
