13 - 19 September 2001
Issue No.551
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 13 - 19 September 2001 Issue No.551 |
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A human duty
Arab leaders were quick to condemn Tuesday's deadly bombing, reports Khaled Dawoud
With the notable exception of Iraq, which suffers nearly daily US shelling in the southern and northern parts of the country, all Arab countries strongly condemned the deadly attacks that took place in New York and Washington on Tuesday. Arab analysts and commentators, meanwhile, were particularly concerned with the possible effects the attacks would have on relations between the United States and Arabs and Muslims in the case that an Arab or Islamic group was behind the assault.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was quick to denounce the attacks, feeling certain that Israel would quickly use the incidents to point an accusatory finger at Palestinian, Arab and Muslim organisations. Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority (PA) officials denied that demonstrations that took place in Nablus on Tuesday night were to celebrate the attack. A PA official said the Palestinians were demonstrating against Israel's re-occupation of the West Bank town of Jenin and the killing of nine Palestinians. The whole world has its eyes on Washington and many Palestinians fear that Israel will pounce on the opportunity to step up violent attacks.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa offered his "deep condolences" to the American people and the US administration, adding that he felt "shocked and saddened" when he saw the pictures of destruction. Moussa warned against rushing to name any suspected group behind the attacks, saying that even the US administration has yet to make any accusations. He noted that what happened in New York and Washington "was shocking to the whole world, not just the United States."
Iran, Libya, Sudan and Syria -- all on the US State Department's list of countries suspected of harbouring terrorist groups -- issued statements conveying their condolences. Libya's revolutionary leader Muammar Gaddafi seemed to speak for all when he told the official news agency that politics should play no part in people's reaction to Tuesday's tragedy. "Irrespective of the any conflicts with America, it is our human duty to show sympathy with the American people, and be with them in the face of these horrifying and awesome events, which are bound to awaken human conscience," Gaddafi said.
Gaddafi called on Muslim aid agencies to join other international aid agencies in offering help to the United States, noting hospitals there had announced an urgent need for blood. Syria's Information Ministry also condemned the attacks on innocent American civilians, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reported. A ministry official said Syria's government and its people offered their condolences to the United States, and to the American people in particular.
Sudan's Foreign Ministry expressed its regret in a statement issued Wednesday and reaffirmed its "rejection of all kinds of violence." Iranian President Mohamed Khatami expressed "deep regret and sympathy" for the victims and denounced all forms of terrorism, saying that terrorism must be undermined worldwide.
Meanwhile, Iraqi state television hailed the attacks as the "operation of the century" -- a fate the United States "deserved, because of its crimes against humanity." An anchor reading a commentary on the attacks added that "the American cowboy is reaping the fruits of his crimes against humanity. It is a black day in the history of America, which is tasting the bitter defeat of its crimes and disregard for peoples' will to lead a free, decent life."
All America's close allies in the oil-rich Gulf region, where thousands of US troops have been deployed since the 1991 Gulf War, issued condemnations of the attacks. Meanwhile, all US troops and aircraft carriers in the region were placed on maximum alert.
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