World Jewish News

Foreign ministers of the Arab League take part in an emergency meeting at the league's headquarters in Cairo September 7. (photo credit:REUTERS)

Arab League backs Palestinian plan to resubmit UN bid

The Arab League on Thursday authorized its members to seek international support for re-submitting to the UN Security Council the Palestinian resolution calling for establishing a timeline for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines.
The decision was taken at the end of an emergency meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo.
The ministers also called for pursuing efforts to seek international support for the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.
The ministers voiced support for Palestinian efforts to join international conventions and treaties, including the International Criminal Court.
The Arab League reiterated its “absolute” opposition to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. It said that this “racist” demand would have “grave consequences on the Palestinians and the region.”
The Arab ministers also strongly condemned Israeli “attempts to divide the Aqsa Mosque in time and place” so as to allow Jews to pray at the Temple Mount.
They accused Israel of perpetrating a war crime by trying to “Judaize” Jerusalem and abolish its “historic, cultural and human identity.”
The ministers called on Arab countries to provide a monthly “financial security net” of $100m. to the Palestinians in light of Israel’s decision to withhold tax funds belonging to the PA.
Earlier, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a speech before the Arab League the PA was unable to pay salaries to its employees because of the Israeli move.
Abbas noted that Congress was also trying to suspend financial aid to the Palestinians. “This is unacceptable that America is trying to halt financial aid to the Palestinian Authority,” he said. “We will protest loudly against this.”
Abbas said that the Palestinians had notified the US of their intention to join the International Criminal Court. “Had America told Israel to stop settlements, we wouldn’t have gone,” he added. “We had to go to the court and we shouldn’t be punished because of that.” He also reiterated his threat to dissolve the PA.
Abbas urged the Arab countries to fulfill their promise for a “financial security net” to the Palestinians following Israel’s freezing of the tax revenues.
Abbas said that the Palestinians are planning to go back to the Security Council and want assurances from the Arabs that they would receive $100m. every month.

JPost.com