US conference aims at normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, formation of anti-Iranian Arab front, says Haniya

Haniya warns of US intentions behind its conference

[ 06/10/2007 - 10:53 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Ismail Haniya, the premier of the PA caretaker government, has warned of the real American purpose behind holding the autumn conference which aim to make the Arab countries particularly Saudi Arabia normalize their relations with the "Zionist entity" as well as to gain Arab support for the American policy towards the Iranian and Iraqi files.

In an interview published on Saturday by the Palestine newspaper, Haniya ruled out that the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Israeli occupation government (IOG) could reach agreements prior to the conference fulfilling the minimum rights of Palestinian people, pointing out that the Israeli occupation still clings to its slogans, namely, no to the return of Jerusalem, no to the return of refugees and no to the return to the borders of 1967.

The premier called on the PA leadership not to exploit the state of internal division to jump in USA's and Israel's laps in defiance of Hamas, hoping that the Arab States will not give cover for new concessions at the level of the Palestinian cause.

The premier also expressed doubts that the autumn conference could end the Israeli aggression, pointing out that the caretaker government is exerting huge efforts at the political and media levels to confront the threats posed by the conference. He called on Arab states especially Saudi Arabia which enjoys a political and religious weight in the Arab world to reconsider any decision of participating in the autumn conference.

For his part, Shaikh Yousuf Abu Sunainah, the Khatib (preacher) of Al-Aqsa Mosque, also pointed out that American president George Bush came up recently with the idea of holding an international meeting at the pretext of settling the Palestinian issue and achieving peace in the region, while he had said a few months ago that the USA would not pressure any country in the Middle East to solve problems.

Al-Aqsa Khatib highlighted during the Friday Khutba (sermon) that everything tabled in this context is a mere mirage; there are no state, security and/or peace, on the contrary Israel escalates its aggressions to become more violent and brutal, and it expands the apartheid wall and settlement outposts and tightens the siege on the Gaza Strip more than ever.

Abu Sunainah ridiculed what the IOG describes as "goodwill initiatives" such as the release of dozens of Palestinians, while it arrests hundreds in return, continues its excavations under Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings and prevents worshipers from the West Bank and Gaza Strip from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their prayers. He denounced Israel's arbitrary actions which turned occupied Jerusalem into military posts and checkpoints.

The Islamic Jihad Movement's leader, Ramadan Shallah, also refused the autumn conference in a press release on Saturday, saying that it was meant to facilitate normalization of Israel's relations with Arab and Islamic countries in addition to deepening the rift in the Palestinian arena.

Opining that the conference would not lead to anything in favor of the Palestinian people, Shallah charged that the conference would attempt to bribe a number of regional countries to gain their support for opening new fronts in the region.

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