ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS TO MEET IN CAIRO

UNCLAS CAIRO 006822 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL MEPN PTER ARABL EG IS SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS TO MEET IN CAIRO NOVEMBER 12 TO DISCUSS GAZA CRISIS ¶1. (SBU) FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES (AL) WILL GATHER AT AL HEADQUARTERS IN CAIRO ON NOVEMBER 12, TO DISCUSS THE ONGOING VIOLENCE IN THE GAZA STRIP. THE MINISTERIAL FOLLOWS A NOVEMBER 6 MEETING OF AL PERMREPS ON THE SAME ISSUE, AND WAS CALLED FOR IN THE WAKE OF THE NOVEMBER 8 CIVILIAN DEATHS IN BEIT HANUN, GAZA. AL STAFF TOLD POLOFF THAT THE MEETING WAS CALLED FOR BY THE LEBANESE AND THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE CAIRO MEETINGS, LEAGUE MEMBERS ARE PUSHING FOR A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS ISRAELS INCURSIONS INTO GAZA. THE LEAGUE IS CALLING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER FORCE TO GUARANTEE PROTECTION FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. ¶2. (U) TEXT OF ARAB LEAGUE STATEMENT ON GAZA FOLLOWS: BEGIN TEXT (UNOFFICIAL EMBASSY TRANSLATION): STATEMENT ON THE ONGOING ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST GAZA AN EMERGENCY AL MEETING AT THE LEVEL OF PERMANENT DELEGATES WAS HELD ON NOVEMBER 6, 2006 TO DISCUSS THE DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES RESULTING FROM THE WIDE-SCALE ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND THE ISRAELI FORCES, OPPRESSIVE INVASION OF THE GAZA STRIP WHICH RENDERED A LARGE NUMBER OF INNOCENT CIVILIAN PALESTINIAN VICTIMS DEAD AND DESTROYED THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND VITAL UTILITIES SUCH AS ELECTRICITY, WATER, ETC. THE MEETING WAS HEADED BY THE PERMANENT DELEGATE OF BAHRAIN AND ATTENDED BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE SECRETARY GENERAL AND PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DR. MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR. IN LIGHT OF THE REVIEW PRESENTED BY THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATION REGARDING THE AGGRESSION AND REPLIES PRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL AND HEADS OF DELEGATIONS, THE COUNCIL: STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE ONGOING ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND THE CRIMINAL PRACTICES COMMITTED UNDER THE WORLD,S NOSE BY THE ISRAELI FORCES IN THE GAZA STRIP THAT RENDERED MANY PALESTINIANS DEAD, IN ADDITION TO THE OPPRESSIVE INVADING FORCES, CONTINUED SHOOTING OF PALESTINIAN WOMEN DURING THEIR PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS IN BEIT HANOUN, WHICH LED TO THE MARTYRDOM OF SEVERAL OF THEM. THE COUNCIL ALSO CONDEMNS THE USE OF INTERNATIONALLY BANNED WEAPONS AGAINST PALESTINIAN CITIZENS AND THE DESTRUCTION OF VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES, AND CONSIDERS THAT THIS CONTINUOUS AGGRESSION AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WILL FURTHER COMPLICATE THE CRITICAL SITUATION IN THE REGION AREA AND WILL UNDERMINE ANY EFFORTS EXERTED TO ACHIEVE CALM AND FIND PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS. PRAISED THE STEADFASTNESS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN FACE OF THE ISRAELI OPPRESSIVE AGGRESSION IN THE REGION WHICH NECESSITATES THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL IN PARTICULAR SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE ARAB REQUEST REGARDING THE REACTIVATION OF THE PEACE PROCESS UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL. INSTRUCTED THE ARAB GROUP IN NEW YORK TO WORK WITH UNSC MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THE REQUEST OF THE STATE OF PALESTINE TO HOLD AN URGENT SECURITY COUNCIL SESSION TO ADOPT A FIRM STAND AIMED AT IMMEDIATELY HALTING ISRAELI AGGRESSION, IN ADDITION TO HAVING THE SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULDER ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR OBLIGING ISRAEL TO IMPLEMENT THE INTERNATIONAL RESOLUTIONS PERTAINING TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT, LIFTING THE SIEGE IMPOSED ON THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, REACTIVATING THE 1949 FOURTH GENEVA CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS DURING TIMES OF CONFLICT, AND WORKING TO SEND AN INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER FORCE TO GUARANTEE PROTECTION FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. EXPRESSED ASTONISHMENT AT THE ABSENCE OF THE QUARTET,S ROLE IN FOLLOWING UP ON THE SITUATION IN PALESTINE, AND CALLED UPON THE QUARTET TO SHOULDER ITS RESPECTIVE ROLE IN THE PEACE PROCESS. CALLED ON THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL TO PRESENT A REPORT TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM THE CONTINUOUS ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE EFFORTS OF THE PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP AND ALL PALESTINIAN FACTIONS TO PROVIDE A NATIONAL SOLIDARITY ATMOSPHERE TO ENHANCE THE INTERNAL FRONT AND EXPEDITE THE FORMATION OF A NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT TO CONFRONT THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES FACING THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. URGED ALL ARAB COUNTRIES TO FULFILL THEIR FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS STIPULATED BY ARAB SUMMIT RESOLUTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF SUPPORTING THE STEADFASTNESS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND THEIR NATIONAL AUTHORITY. WELCOME MEMBER STATE ACTIONS TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. PROVIDED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE AFFLICTED AREAS IN GAZA, ESPECIALLY BEIT HANOUN CITY, TO REBUILD THE VITAL UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETED BY THE ISRAELI AGGRESSION. WILL KEEP THE COUNCIL IN SESSION TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS ISSUE. END TEXT. RICCIARDONE