The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is ready to hold an emergency meeting of its foreign ministers to address the status of Palestine, Iran's official IRNA news agency said Saturday.
It cited OIC Secretary General Ezzeddin Laraki as saying that the 56-member group was prepared to stage the meeting that has been repeatedly requested by Iran, which holds the group's rotating presidency.
The last meeting of OIC foreign ministers was in Pakistan in 1994.
Laraki, who arrived here Friday, met with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who said the meeting was essential "given the highly sensitive situation in the region at present and the key role of Muslim and Arab states in supporting the Palestinian cause."
The Muslim world is awaiting "strong and crystal-clear stances in support of Palestine," Kharazi said as Arab leaders gathered in Cairo on Saturday to kick off a two-day summit on the Middle east crisis.
Proposals varied from Iraq's call for jihad or holy war against Israel to Syria's call for a boycott of firms dealing with the Jewish state.
The calls came as four more people were killed Saturday in the violence, which has made a mockery of a ceasefire deal agreed days ago by Palestinian and Israeli leaders.
Iran does not recognise Israel and is opposed to the peace process. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Muslim nations to pave the way for a jihad against the Jewish state -- TEHRAN (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
