Arabs are ready for peace

Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri urged European states to put economic pressure on Israel to remove its forces from the south and break a deadlock in the stalled peace process.

"Israel has strong economic relations with Europe. Europe can play an important role if it tried to put pressure on Israel to convince it to go ahead with the peace process. The Arabs are ready for peace, the Lebanese are ready. The only one who does not believe in peace is Israel", Hariri said.

"Netanyahu is blocking peace. The Israelis have to find a way out to continue the peace process Netanyahu has to decide if they want to live in peace in the region."

Hariri also said he regretted the position of the US, which has blocked condemnation of Israel at the United Nations over its work on Jewish settlement in Arab East Jerusalem that has deadlocked the Middle east peace process since March.

But he said he hoped president Bill Clinton "is interested in peace and will put real pressure on Israel so Israel will go ahead with the peace process."