Islamic Emergency Summit calls for ceasefire in Lebanon [Archives:2006/970/Local News]
By: Ismail Al-Ghabiri
SANA'A, Aug. 5 ) The Islamic Emergency Summit, held in Potragia, Malaysian last Thursday came up with a concluding statement stressing an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon under United Nations supervision.
The statement welcomed all seven points presented by the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Sanyoura at the Rome Summit and it holds the UN and the UN Security Council accountable for what is happening in Lebanon.
Participants in the summit urged the international community to take serious steps to reach an immediate ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) held Israel accountable for the destruction in Lebanon, as well as the violation of International Human Law, and called for probing the massacres against Lebanese.
The OIC called on the UN Human Rights Council to discuss the issue and affirmed its supportive stand with the Lebanese leadership and people.
Participants considered the Islamic Emergency Summit a success since it coincided with critical conditions. Iranian President Ahmadinejad attended the meetings, but other Arab leaders were notably absent raising concerns about the differing Arab stances toward the Middle East crisis.
However, observers considered participation of foreign ministers in the meetings a success, making up for the Arab League's failure to do anything for those in Lebanon and Palestine.
Opening the summit, OIC Secretary-General Ehsan Ughlo warned that failure of a new peace initiative will increase violence and terrorism, not only in the Middle East but worldwide.
He stressed the necessity of reaching an immediate ceasefire to be followed by the exchange of war prisoners and putting a stop to the fighting with help of international troops under UN supervision.
Malaysian President Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the UN Security Council lacks bravery to condemn the Israeli attack on Lebanon. According to Badawi, the UN Security dare not condemn Israel over the massacres it commits against innocent victims, most of whom are women and children.
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