Hariri: Without peace Middle East to face catastrophe

Saad Hariri

The Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri warned of a "catastrophe" in the Middle East in the event Israel and the Arab World did not reach a peace agreement. The BBC quoted Hariri as saying: "The current situation is allowing the activities of extremists to flourish ", adding that "the whole world pays for the policies of Israel against the Palestinians and the absence of peace supports forces which are against the West, including Iran."

He said that "Iran has great influence in the Middle East, but the real threat lies in the failure to achieve peace between Israel and the Arab world."

He said "hundreds of millions of Arabs and Muslims see the daily television footage of Palestinian homes destroyed by Israeli bulldozers, and acts like that do not inflame just the region, but they affect the entire world."

While in Britain, he added: "You're paying the price in London, paying the price in Europe, paying the price in the United States, and paying the price in every place." He also wondered: "Why does the international community do not support the peace process.?"