Posted on 08/15/2005 1:05:54 PM PDT by Alouette
DUBAI (AFP) - Arab governments expressed the hope that Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip will be followed by the evacuation of other occupied Palestinian lands and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas acknowledged the "historic and important" nature of the Israeli pullout from Gaza after 38 years but denounced an Israeli insistance it would keep hold of its West Bank settlement blocs.
Saudi Arabia "looks forward to the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip being a step followed by other steps toward withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories so the Palestinian people can build their state, with Jerusalem as its capital," said a statement issued after the weekly meeting of the Saudi cabinet in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
"The cabinet affirmed the kingdom's commitment to the peace initiative put forward by ... King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to the Arab summit held in Beirut in 2002 and adopted by the summit, thus becoming an Arab peace initiative," said the statement, carried by the official SPA news agency.
The Beirut meeting of Arab heads of state endorsed a blueprint, proposed by then Crown Prince Abdullah, offering Israel peace and normal ties in return for its withdrawal from occupied Arab lands.
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud "hoped the withdrawal from Gaza constitutes the beginning of the recovery of all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people", the ANI state news agency quoted him as telling Abbas in a telephone conversation.
For their part, the two Lebanese Shiite groups Amal and Hezbollah issued a joint statement saying "the routing of the Israeli enemy of Gaza is a high point in the long struggle of the Palestinian resistance".
They said the withdrawal "proves the effectiveness of resistance."
Jordan's King Abdullah reacted by urging Palestinians to pull together to prevent anyone from "hampering" Israel's withdrawal, an official statement quoted him as saying to Abbas.
The king also gave his "support to Palestinian Authority efforts to impose its authority on territory evacuated by Israel" calling the withdrawal "a positive step which must lead to a withdrawal from the West Bank".
In Kuwait, the cabinet voiced hope the Gaza pullout would be "the first step by Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories and will be followed by other steps in compliance with relevant UN resolutions".
A statement cited by the official KUNA news agency said Kuwait also looked forward to the Gaza withdrawal leading to the revival of peace efforts on the basis of the internationally-backed "roadmap."
Bahrain's King Hamad congratulated Abbas in a telephone call on the Gaza pullout, saying he hoped it was "a step on the road to the establishment of a Palestinian state" with Jerusalem as its capital, the BNA news agency reported.
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh similarly expressed hope that Israel will evacuate all occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and that an independent Palestinian state will be set up, Yemen's SABA news agency said.
The West Bank.
Of course it’s not surprising. It doesn’t mean the withdrawal is a bad idea.
I believe that is what is known as "the battle of Armageddon".
Realize that the Arab view of Palestine does not include any live Jews or Christians.
Sharon and hissupporters think that if the arabs of gaza attack, that he can respond in force to a Judenrein Gaza.
However,
the French and Swedes et al will condenm it
Jesse Jackson types and assimmilated Jewish liberals will condenm it as "perpetuating the cycle of violence" .
the UN will condemn it and will the US veto it ?
I still can't believe there are people who support this move. What did they think would happen? A pullout of Gaza and, ok, that's good? Gee, I'm shocked, they want the rest of 'palestine' for themselves with all Israelis moving out and Jerusalem as it's capital? Why don't they just say what they really mean - eradication of all Jews from the area? And who are the leaders of non-Arab countries that think this is just fine?
Notice now they don't even bother to say "Arab East" Jerusalem any more.
Why bother? Folks like Clinton paved the way for that long ago.
And so many just don't care, they buy the lie that it was somehow 'palestine' not so long ago and should go back to them. Morons. I've said it before, everywhere Clinton went to establish 'peace' during his terms are now all but peaceful and in every case it involved giving advantages to Islamist aggressors (the Taliban jihadi type) that they didn't have or deserve or simply ignoring the aggressions of these terrorists on formerly peaceful areas like the Sudan or East Timor (both predominantly Christian/Catholic). What is Sharon thinking?
There will never be peace if this does not happen. Persisting with defending the settlements because doing otherwise would be “surrendering to terrorism” is cutting your nose off to spite your face.
Clearly Sharon is not going to surrender the rest of Israel. Who gives a stuff if that is what Arabs dream about? It ain’t going to happen.
I agree. I also think that Israel will have this land back within 5 years.
Clearly Sharon is not going to surrender the rest of Israel. Who gives a stuff if that is what Arabs dream about? It ain’t going to happen.
I hope you're right. Clearly the Arabs have bigger plans and view this as part of that plan. I don't care what the Arabs dream about, and I fully expect and hope that their plans fail yet again, but they seem to have more sympathizers than ever among non-Arabs, including our own country.
five years my butt.....try this Winter...
What is “this is what the Palestinians really want” a valid counter argument to the withdrawal plan?
We all know what they want. They aren’t going to get it. This withdrawal will at least give them something workable.
But what does it give the Israelis?
You are a dolt....
First of all- I'd leave NOTHING standing for the Muslims to acquire. Not that everything wouldn't be destroyed by barbaric Arabs anyway.
All I do know is that IF the followers of Satan( Muslims) capture and defile the Holy Lands where Jesus walked, and if they ever get Jerusalem, I would be looking for a very angry Jesus to return SOON.
There can be no 'land for peace' with the evil that is Islam. There was none with Hitler, was there?
It's a DISGRACE to see the Jews dragged from Gaza. It is the Palestinians who should be driven into the sea.
I am very afraid of what we are witnessing here.
"But what does it give the Israelis?"
The chance of peace. I’m not dumb enough to say it will definitely lead to peace. It certainly won’t come quickly. But if it does not happen, there will never be peace.
Chance of peace vs no chance of peace. Take your pick.
"You are a dolt...."
Truly a witty retort. It clearly shows you are smarter than Ariel Sharon.
Bush has betrayed Israel! And Sharon's a fool.
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