Asia's Moslem countries condemn Israel for violence
Asia's Moslem countries condemn Israel for violence
HONG KONG (Reuter): Predominantly Moslem countries in Asia were quick to condemn Israel yesterday for the mounting bloodshed in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, while most others urged both Israelis and Palestinians to show restraint.
Malaysia was the most strident in its criticism, with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad quoted by newspapers in Kuala Lumpur yesterday as saying Israel's government was trying to renege on a 1993 peace deal with the Palestinians.
Sixty-nine people -- 55 Palestinians and 14 Israeli soldiers -- have died in five days of clashes since Israel decided to reopen an archaeological tunnel near the al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest shrine.
"We feel the (Israeli) government is trying to unmake an agreement that was made freely between two parties," Malaysia's Mahathir was quoted as saying. "If successor governments forget or renege on promises made by previous governments, then there will be no security for anyone."
Mahathir also blasted the Western media for giving an impression that Palestinians had caused the violence.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Moslem nation, said it could not condone Israeli violence against Palestinians.
A statement from the foreign ministry in Jakarta on Saturday called on Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestinian-ruled areas and urged the UN Security Council to meet to take steps to end the violence.
"Israel's violent actions have challenged the agreements which have already been reached between Israel and the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), international humanitarian law and clearly will threaten the continuation of the peace process," the statement added.
Philippine President Fidel Ramos appealed for calm on both sides, and urged those countries with influence in the Middle East to assist Palestine and Israel in returning to the negotiating table as soon as possible.
"As our experience in the southern Philippines tells us, living as neighbors requires openness, communication, tolerance and consideration of each other's interests at all times," he said in a statement implicitly referring to the recent peace deal that Manila forged with Moslem separatists on southern Mindanao island.
A spokesman for Bangladesh's foreign ministry said on Saturday the Middle East peace process was in jeopardy.
"The government and people of Bangladesh stand by President Yasser Arafat and our Palestinian brethren at this tragic hour. We express sympathy at the loss of lives," he added.
This view was echoed by leading Dhaka newspapers yesterday. In an editorial The Independent said the "renewed belligerence" of the Israeli government had dashed hopes that the Middle East peace plan would succeed.
In war-torn Afghanistan, only one newspaper English-language daily, The Muslim, mentioned the Middle East in an editorial, criticized the response of the United States and European countries.
Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov arrived in Morocco yesterday for a 48-hour official visit and said Israel should put an end to actions against Palestinians and respect the feelings of Moslems.
"I came to Morocco to confer with Moroccan officials and exchange points of view on issues related to the dangerous evolution of events in the Middle East and Afghanistan," Primakov told reporters on arrival at Rabat airport.
Primakov hailed the UN Security Council vote calling for the immediate resumption of the Middle East peace process and said "everybody at the UN was unanimous to take urgent measures for the control of the situation, not only to put an end to the conflict, but also to resume the peace process".