Foreign ministers of Islamic nations meeting in Malaysia accused Israel on Monday of dragging the Middle East toward war and called on the United Nations Security Council to protect Palestinians.
A statement by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) slammed Israel on the first day of its three-day conference to discuss the definitions and roots of terrorism.
It called on the UN Security Council and the two co-sponsors of the peace process, the United States and Russia, and the European Union to immediately stop Israeli aggression and to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all occupied Arab and Palestinian territories.
"The Conference strongly condemned the recent Israeli storming of Palestinian cities and villages, as well as the headquarters of the Palestinian Presidency endangering the life of President (Yasser) Arafat and of the members of the Palestinian leadership," the statement said.
"Israel's terrorist actions and aggressive practices, posing a threat to international peace and security, and dragging the region towards an all-out war necessitate immediate action by the United Nations Security Council...," the statement said.
(China Daily April 2, 2002)
