Friday, January 16, 2009

Turkish, Syrian Leaders Lash out at Israel Over Gaza

Turkey: President Abdullah Gül has said he is "ashamed on behalf of humanity" because of Israel's offensive against the Gaza Strip. "I feel ashamed on behalf of humanity about what's happening. I feel sadness about the world's silence and inability to secure a cease-fire in an environment where so many children have died," Gül said in Ankara....

Syria: Cut all ties with Israel; Arab peace initiative of 2002 is dead

Qatar, Mauritania suspend economic and political ties with Israel The move announced on Friday followed calls by Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, and Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of Hamas, for all Arab nations to cut ties with Israel.

Addressing leaders at an emergency Arab summit in Doha, the Qatari capital, al-Assad declared that the Arab initiative for peace with Israel was now "dead". He said Arab countries should cut "all direct and indirect" ties with Israel in protest against its offensive in Gaza.

His comments echoed those of Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls the Gaza Strip, who also called on all Arab states to cut ties with Israel.Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab countries who have signed peace treaties with Israel and have Israeli embassies.

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