The Cairo-based Arab League is calling for the U.N. Security Council to put a halt to what it calls the Israeli state's organized terrorism against Arabs. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa says the region is in chaos due to what he says is Israel's illegitimate attacks on Palestinians and its recent attack on a suspected terrorist camp near Damascus. In an emergency session at its Cairo headquarters, the Arab League called late Sunday for "a decisive end" to what it termed organized terror of the Israeli state on Palestinians, Syria, and Lebanon. In its emergency session, convened to discuss Israel's Sunday attack on a suspected Palestinian militants' camp near Damascus, the league of 22 Arab countries said it would stand behind any actions Syria might take to defend itself.
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, speaking after the emergency session, said the league blamed Israel for creating what he described as "a total state of chaos in the region." He said the league rejects the notion that Israel was only protecting itself.
Mr. Moussa said, if legitimate self-defense now means destroying houses over the heads of residents, if an occupier can attack the occupied, this is something completely incomprehensible. He warns that accepting such acts as legitimate would cause even more violence.
Syria, which is a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, asked for the convening of the Security Council to discuss the matter and condemn Israel for Sunday's air strike.
The league's permanent representatives said their countries would back any Syrian reprisals against Israel for the raid.
Abdul Aziz Al Hanai, Oman's envoy to the Arab League, says the Israeli attack on the suspected training camp violated international law.
He said, the Arab League is giving our full solidarity and support to any way Syria will confront Israeli aggression. He says, in the eyes of the Arab world, Israel's air strike was a major breach of international law.
