Arab League warns Israel of attacking Gaza Strip
Kuwait News Agency - 01 December, 2008
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The Arab League warned Israel on Sunday against launching a military
operation in Gaza Strip, saying Israel will ignore all limits during its
upcoming elections.

The League's Assistant Secretary General for Palestine Affairs Ambassador
Mohammad Sabeeh told KUNA the Israeli threat of a large-scale imminent
military operation on Gaza means more "Israeli stupidity in exposing the
Palestinian people to more tragedies." Israeli will not be the winner in
such an aggression, but will be the biggest loser, especially that it
imposed an unjust siege on Gaza Strip that is witnessed by international
organizations that say Israel is committing war crimes and crimes against
humanity, he said.

"Does Israel want more such crimes?" he wondered.

Sabeeh said all disasters and tragedies in Palestine were the result of
Israeli occupation and settlement-building that caused tension and despair
among the Palestinians, leading to the tragic situations and conflicts.

He pointed out that the Arab League began implementing the decisions of the
irregular meeting of Arab foreign ministers that stressed the importance of
supporting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas until the end of the
Palestinian elections so that Israel does not claim there is no Palestinian
side to hold talks with.

He called Arab countries to provide urgent aid to the Palestinian people,
noting that the aid could be delivered to Palestine through Egypt and Jordan
in coordination with the League.

The League did not receive any notification about aid from Arab countries
yet, although some of them announced they will send ships of aid to the
Palestinian people, he said.

He praised the announcement by Qatar of sending aid to Gaza Strip, where
there is shortage in medicine and food.

Meanwhile, Sabeeh said Abbas had told Egypt and the League that he supports
unconditional inter-Palestinian talks.

The Arab League official said Arabs never considered imposing punishments on
the Palestinian side that hinders negotiations, emphasizing that the
punishments already imposed on the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West
Bank are enough.

He stressed that all Palestinian sides are encouraged to continue talks to
reach unity.