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Arab League official calls US Congress more dangerous than Israel's Knesset

February 20, 2014 at 3:34 pm

A senior official at the Arab League has called the US Congress “more dangerous than the Knesset” because of its stand on the Palestine-Israel conflict. Ambassador Mohamed Sobeih, the Arab League’s Assistant Secretary General for Palestine Affairs, was speaking to journalists when he added that the organisation rejects Washington’s antagonism towards the Palestinians and their move for UN recognition of an independent Palestinian state.


“The decision to approach the Security Council was made with Arab consensus,” said Sobeih, “and we will never abandon our support for it.” He stressed his belief that the US Congress decision to cut around $200 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority reflects “America’s enmity toward the Palestinian people”. The US, he added, is punishing the Palestinian people only because they are seeking to obtain their legitimate rights. “The position of the US Congress is shameful and does not help US interests in the Middle East,” he said.

The Arab League has been monitoring US Congress attempts to thwart Palestinian efforts for full member status of the UN. According to Ambassador Sobeih, such attempts include the bill proposed by 30 Congressmen calling for Israel to annex the West Bank if the Palestinian Authority insists on pursuing its UN bid for statehood.