| 15 Jul 2006 |
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Arab states take dim view of 'adventurism' by Hizbullah
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15 July 2006
US allies Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan indirectly accused Hizbullah on Friday of harming Arab interests but also condemned the Israeli assault on Lebanon The remarks came amid fears of a wider regional conflict after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boasted Friday that Israel was not powerful enough to take on Iran and warned the Jewish state not to attack regional ally Syria.
While not naming Hizbullah, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdul-lah II warned of the risk of "the region being dragged into 'adventurism' that does not serve Arab interests," according to a joint statement published by Amman's official Petra news agency after the two met in Cairo.
Similar language was used earlier by Saudi Arabia, which indirectly accused Hizbullah of adventurism in provoking Israel's onslaught on Lebanon and putting all Arab nations at risk.
"It is necessary to make a distinction between legitimate resistance [to occupation] and irresponsible adventurism adopted by certain elements within the state," an official Saudi source told the Saud Press Agency late Thursday.
"These elements ... risk putting in danger all the Arab countries and their achievements before these countries have said a word," the source added.
The Saudi position is aimed at preventing the Middle East from sliding into yet another destructive war and at upholding Arab interests, Mohammad al-Zalfa, a member of the appointed Shura Council, said Friday.
The Egyptian and Jordanian leaders urged the Lebanese government "to establish its authority over all Lebanese territory" as they condemned and called for an immediate halt to Israeli military escalation in Gaza and Lebanon.
They also highlighted "the need for all parties in the region to be responsible and not contribute to escalation that could drag the region into a dangerous situation."
Heightening fears of an all-out conflict in the region, Ahmadinejad warned Israel against striking Iran and extending
"The Zionist regime does not dare to cast a look with bad intentions at Iran," the president was quoted as saying by state television.
"If Israel commits another act of idiocy and aggresses Syria, this will be the same as an aggression against the entire Islamic world and it will receive a stinging response," he said in a phone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad.
"The Israeli aggressions are a result of the weakness of a puppet regime that is on its way toward disappearing," state television quoted him as saying.
In London, Syrian Ambassador Sami Khiyami told the BBC his country wants to stay out of the conflict between Israel and Lebanon and is trying to restrain Hizbullah from firing missiles into northern Israel.
"It's really seeking to ease down tensions and to reach a settlement that would stop completely the violence."
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya slammed Israel's "insane war" against Lebanon.
"This war must stop. Lebanon and the Lebanese people must be protected," Haniyya said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called on all sides in the Middle East to speedily cease fire before it is too late. "Deep instability can occur in the region," Gul warned. - Agencies
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