ID :
41697
Tue, 01/20/2009 - 19:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/41697
The shortlink copeid
SAUDI ARABIA DONATES US$1 BILLION FOR GAZA
From Ahmad Zukiman Mohamed Zain
KUWAIT CITY, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Saudi's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
announced here Monday the contribution of US$1 billion for the reconstruction of
Gaza, which is devastated after three weeks of Israeli relentless bombardment.
Speaking at the first-ever Arab Economic Summit, the Saudi monarch said that
no matter how vital economic issues were, they could not equate life and
dignity.
"In the past few days, we have witnessed images that are so repulsive,
bloody and painful, massacres committed in full view of the world by criminal
hoodlums whose hearts know no mercy," he said.
While granting the donation for the Gaza reconstruction fund proposed by the
summit, King Abdullah said he realised that "one drop of Palestinian blood is
dearer than all riches of the earth".
The Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who chaired the two-day
summit, had earlier led the barrage of condemnation by the Arab leaders
against Israeli aggression on Gaza.
He said Kuwait would donate US$34 million to enable UN Relief and Works
Agency's (UNRWA) honour the urgent needs of the Palestinian people, and would
also contribute to international efforts of the donor countries.
He described the Israeli invasion as a "war crime and a crime against
humanity".
More than 1,300 Palestinians were killed and 5,300 injured while some 4,000
residential buildings were reduced to rubble after Israel launched the attacks
on Dec 27.
Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire Sunday followed later by Hamas, which
gave the regime a week to pull out its troops from the impoverished strip.
The Israeli war machine had also bombarded UN facilities in the besieged
Gaza Strip, derailing the work of the UN staff in the strip.
Speaking after the Kuwaiti leader, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad called
on the Arab states to adopt the term "terrorism entity" to describe the Jewish
state.
Al-Assad, who is the current chairman of the Arab round, said although the
ceasefire had been secured, this was in no way an indication of the end of
violence as the Israeli forces remained in Gaza.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his country showed clear and strong
support for the Gaza Strip since the first day of Israeli aggression on it.
He said Israel should put in mind that achieving peace in the Middle East
was an urgent need, and that the regime should consider the Arab peace
initiative more seriously.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, called on Palestinian
factions to overcome their differences and meet under Egyptian sponsorship.
He said the Palestinians were invited to meet in Egypt to reach an
agreement after hours of discussion.
"If the bloodshed in Gaza is not enough for us to agree, then when will the
time come?" asked Abbas.
He said should an agreement be reached, what was needed then was a unity
government that worked to end Israeli violence, lift the siege on Gaza and open
its crossings and hold elections.
-- BERNAMA
KUWAIT CITY, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Saudi's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
announced here Monday the contribution of US$1 billion for the reconstruction of
Gaza, which is devastated after three weeks of Israeli relentless bombardment.
Speaking at the first-ever Arab Economic Summit, the Saudi monarch said that
no matter how vital economic issues were, they could not equate life and
dignity.
"In the past few days, we have witnessed images that are so repulsive,
bloody and painful, massacres committed in full view of the world by criminal
hoodlums whose hearts know no mercy," he said.
While granting the donation for the Gaza reconstruction fund proposed by the
summit, King Abdullah said he realised that "one drop of Palestinian blood is
dearer than all riches of the earth".
The Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who chaired the two-day
summit, had earlier led the barrage of condemnation by the Arab leaders
against Israeli aggression on Gaza.
He said Kuwait would donate US$34 million to enable UN Relief and Works
Agency's (UNRWA) honour the urgent needs of the Palestinian people, and would
also contribute to international efforts of the donor countries.
He described the Israeli invasion as a "war crime and a crime against
humanity".
More than 1,300 Palestinians were killed and 5,300 injured while some 4,000
residential buildings were reduced to rubble after Israel launched the attacks
on Dec 27.
Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire Sunday followed later by Hamas, which
gave the regime a week to pull out its troops from the impoverished strip.
The Israeli war machine had also bombarded UN facilities in the besieged
Gaza Strip, derailing the work of the UN staff in the strip.
Speaking after the Kuwaiti leader, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad called
on the Arab states to adopt the term "terrorism entity" to describe the Jewish
state.
Al-Assad, who is the current chairman of the Arab round, said although the
ceasefire had been secured, this was in no way an indication of the end of
violence as the Israeli forces remained in Gaza.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his country showed clear and strong
support for the Gaza Strip since the first day of Israeli aggression on it.
He said Israel should put in mind that achieving peace in the Middle East
was an urgent need, and that the regime should consider the Arab peace
initiative more seriously.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, called on Palestinian
factions to overcome their differences and meet under Egyptian sponsorship.
He said the Palestinians were invited to meet in Egypt to reach an
agreement after hours of discussion.
"If the bloodshed in Gaza is not enough for us to agree, then when will the
time come?" asked Abbas.
He said should an agreement be reached, what was needed then was a unity
government that worked to end Israeli violence, lift the siege on Gaza and open
its crossings and hold elections.
-- BERNAMA
