Arabs should mobilize their support for the Palestinian position on Jerusalem, Gulf newspapers said Monday, warning against any concession on the Holy City that would benefit Israel.
Al-Khaleej of the United Arab Emirates urged Arab countries to participate in "a full summit, with the sole issue being 'to save Jerusalem from the claws of occupation'."
"If there is no summit, the foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries must meet to define the red lines that no-one must transgress in supporting the Palestinians," Al-Khaleej said.
Another Emirati paper, Al-Ittihad, said "the question of Jerusalem must figure at the top of any accord because of the importance of the city, not only for the Palestinians but also for all Arabs and Muslims."
In Qatar, Al-Raya newspaper said: "Jerusalem is at the heart of the Arab-Zionist conflict because of its religious and historic standing among Arabs and Muslims.
"A clear Arab and Islamic position on this issue must be expressed," Al-Raya said, regretting that Arab countries were "waiting for the end of the Camp David summit like spectators."
Saudi Arabia's Al-Jazira said "the only concession that the Palestinians can make when it comes to Jerusalem is not to oppose the idea that the western part of the city be the capital of Israel on condition that the eastern part become the capital of the Palestinian state."
"Arab people are in a desperate situation and in the light of any concessions over Jerusalem, the whole situations may explode," said Shamlan al-Issa, a leading liberal and political science professor at Kuwait University.
"No Arab leader will be able to make concessions over Jerusalem. If this happens, it may lead to overthrowing some of the regimes, starting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, of course," he predicted.
"Every Palestinian, Arab and Muslim will strongly oppose any concession. The Palestinian leadership has weakened the Palestinian cause and the situation is too grave," Kuwaiti MP Ahmad Shuraian added - DUBAI (AFP)
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