By IINA
Damascus, Makkah : Wrapping up of their 19th annual summit here yesterday, Arab leaders expressed concern about what they said was rising Islamophobia around the world amid Muslim anger at a Dutch film linking Islam to terrorism. “The growth of ferocious attacks against Islam and the rise of Islamophobia are a deep source of concern, particularly given that the offences to Muslims are increasing in countries known for their pluralism and acceptance of difference,” Arab leaders said in a final statement.
The Summit called for co-ordination between the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) “to confront this phenomenon as well as the ignorance and racism shown towards Islam, a religion of moderation and tolerance.” Meanwhile, the summit failed to clinch a breakthrough on Lebanon, spotlighting the rift between host Syria and some member states, which blame Beirut’s political crisis on Damascus. A Damascus Declaration, read out by Arab League chief Amr Moussa at the end of the summit, called on Lebanon to elect consensus candidate General Michel Sleiman at the time agreed.
They also urged Iraq “to disband all militias without exception… and speed up the building and training of the Iraqi armed and security forces… in preparation for the withdrawal of foreign troops.” But the Iraqi government objected to omissions from the declaration, and refused to endorse the final declaration because it does not condemn terrorism in the war-torn country. The leaders called on Arab states to bolster their diplomatic respresentation in Iraq by opening up embassies in the war-torn country.
Arab leaders also told Israel that Arab countries would review an Arab peace offer unless the Jewish state changes its behavior.
Arab leaders supported the UAE in its territorial dispute with Iran and called for a peaceful solution, but Iran dismissed the statement as interference in its affairs. Separately, the summit expressed support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The leaders agreed on Doha as the venue for their 2009 summit.