AL refuses Israeli conditions on withdrawal from south Lebanon

The Arab League on Tuesday expressed its rejection of the Israeli conditions to withdraw from south Lebanon.

The AL's assistant secretary-general for political affairs, Muhammad Zakaria Ismael, said that what has been announced by the Israeli government on conditional withdrawal from south Lebanon is only a repeated Israeli maneuver aiming at eliminating Israeli losses in south Lebanon and at giving the impression that it wants to withdraw from south Lebanon.

He said that this new Israeli maneuver aims at separating the Syrian-Lebanese tracks, stressing the AL' s total rejection of such a maneuver.

AL assistant for Arab affairs Ahmad Bin Hali, who deals with events surrounding south Lebanon at the AL, said the Israeli proposal violates UN Security Council resolution 425 providing for Israel's unconditional withdrawal, noting that Israel's proposal to negotiate on the said resolution totally contradicts the resolution.

Bin Hali said the Israeli proposal aims at foiling any US efforts as a ME peace process cosponsor after the Iraqi crisis was defused.