An Arab League summit collapsed Saturday two days before it was to start because of differences over peace overtures to Israel and a U.S.-backed plan to bring more democracy to the Middle East. The derailing of the summit, slated to open Monday, reflected the turmoil in Arab ranks after Monday's Israeli assassination of Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin. Arab leaders had hoped to use the conference, which was to begin Monday, to relaunch the Saudi-crafted phony peace initiative and to submit their own proposals for political reforms. The Saudi plan of two years ago offered a phony peace to Israel in return for a withdrawal from all lands overrun in the 1967 war.
| And surrendering East Jerusalem, and caving on the right of return, and permitting an "international" commission comprised of Israel's enemies to settle all disputes. |
However, Israel's killing of Yassin provoked widespread fear outrage in the Arab world, making it politically risky for some states to pursue a peace initiative. No new date for the summit was announced. Diplomats said Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali made the decision to call off the summit. A number of Arab leaders said earlier they would not attend. In preliminary talks by Arab foreign ministers, Syria sought to block proposals for political reform and for endorsing Libya's move to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs, Arab diplomats said.
| Since they feel Libya reneged on the grand plan. |
Syria also wanted to block a summit declaration advancing the 2002 Saudi initiative, they said. "The Syrians acted as if they want to upset turn the tables on the whole summit," one Arab diplomat said on condition he not be named.
| Syrians, acting tough is about all they can do. |
Arab leaders had also planned to unveil a political reform package in response to the U.S. "Greater Middle East Initiative" to promote more freedom in a region where change could threaten many regimes. Foreign ministers who met in Cairo earlier this month also failed to reach consensus on a response to the Greater Middle East Initiative. Arab governments, led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have criticized the initiative for failing to take account of Arab culture and tradition.
| "It doesn't permit us to kill and suppress our people any longer. That ain't Arab culture!" |
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