Arabs condemn closer ties with Israel<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Beirut<\/p>\n
While some Arab and Muslim governments may be ready to reward
\nIsrael with improved ties for its withdrawal from Gaza, the idea
\nwas met with scorn on Saturday by many in the Arab world.<\/p>\n
Israel has been reaping diplomatic benefits since it began its
\nnow-completed withdrawal weeks ago. Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia
\nhave held high-level public meetings with Israeli officials. On
\nFriday, the king of Jordan, which has a peace treaty with Israel,
\nmet with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the sidelines of a UN
\nworld summit.<\/p>\n
Qatar's foreign minister made a call on Wednesday for Arab
\nnations to reciprocate Israel's Gaza withdrawal with greater
\npeace steps.<\/p>\n
The call met strong opposition from many Arabs who rejected
\nany rapprochement with Israel as long as it is occupying
\nPalestinian and Syrian land.<\/p>\n
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss called for an Arab
\nLeague meeting to take measures to "check this sweeping, ominous
\ntide."<\/p>\n
"I wonder how they can undertake such a step, forgetting a
\ncause they espoused for more than half a century ... under the
\npretext of rewarding the Zionist enemy for withdrawing from
\nGaza," Hoss said in a statement.<\/p>\n
After "Israeli aggression, we do not see a real Arab
\nresponse," mourned Ahmed Haj Ali, a Syrian analyst. "Instead, we
\nare surprised to see acceptance and the promotion of Israeli
\npositions."<\/p>\n
But Qatar's overt gestures may be part of a growing momentum
\nto improve ties with Israel.<\/p>\n
Hazem Saghieh, a senior Lebanese columnist with the London-
\nbased Al-Hayat newspaper, said "most Arab countries, if they can
\nbe sure that public reaction can be controlled, would do what
\nQatar is doing," he said, speaking from London.<\/p>\n
"Some countries who are against this may take a different
\nstand when their turn comes - and have justifications ready for
\ntheir actions," he added.<\/p>\n
At an Arab summit in March, Jordan proposed normalizing
\nrelations with Israel before it makes any concessions on Arab
\nland - a major change to the current policy of promising
\nnormalization only after a full peace.<\/p>\n
Arab leaders quickly shot down the idea, but there were
\nreports that several countries - particularly Morocco, Qatar and
\nOman - were considering moving ahead with ties anyway.<\/p>\n
Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf nation of less than a million, has
\ntaken the lead. In 1996, it established trade relations with
\nIsrael, opening an Israeli trade office in Doha a year after Oman
\nopened a trade office in Tel Aviv. Oman closed the office in
\n1997.<\/p>\n
After the Palestinian uprising began in 2000, Qatar said it
\nwas shutting down the Israeli trade office. But the decision was
\nnot implemented.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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