Source: alalam.ir, 05-03-2008
CAIRO-The Arab League condemned "Israeli" attacks on the Gaza Strip as "crimes against humanity" on Wednesday.
Arab foreign ministers said they "strongly condemn the barbaric crimes that the 'Israeli' occupation forces committed in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories".
Meeting to prepare for an Arab summit in Syria this month that is expected to focus on Gaza and Lebanon, the ministers said in a statement they were "recording these 'Israeli' crimes as crimes of war and crimes against humanity".
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said: "The criminal aggression against Gaza shows that "Israeli" policy against the Palestinian people is based on genocide and ethnic cleansing."
The Arab condemnation came as "Israeli" Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed on Wednesday to keep up military strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Olmert's office later issued a statement saying "the 'Israeli' government will act continuously, systematically, and over a long period."
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who froze negotiations on Sunday in protest at the Gaza attacks, said talks could not get underway until "Israel" reached a ceasefire with Gaza resistance fighters.
In Cairo, the Arab ministers also called on Palestinians to end internal divisions.
The March 29-30 Arab summit in Damascus is expected to deal with the political deadlock in Lebanon, which has been without a president since November due to a power struggle between the majority group and opposition.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said in Cairo that Lebanon and Saudi Arabia would be invited to attend the summit.
Syria has already invited all other Arab League members, politicians say.