Arab front gains strength

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 8

Arab front gains strength

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Syria and Jordan have joined a growing list of Arab States, headed by powerful Saudi Arabia and Iraq, which have threatened retaliation against countries which recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Syrian Foreign Ministry announced yesterday it had called for an immediate meeting of the 21-member Arab League ■ to - impose a political and economic boycott on States recognising Jerusalem. The call came after a joint Saudi-Iraqi statement last week, backed by several Arab states, announcing that the world’s two biggest oil exporters, would cut political and economic ties with any Government accepting Is-? rael’s: annexation of East Jerusalem. i ■

The reprisal threats were prompted by an Israeli Knesset (Parliament) vote on July 30 proclaiming Jerusalem, including, the Eastern Arab sector, the undivided capital of the Jewish State. On Sunday King Hussein of Jordan said Israel’s formal annexation of East Jerusalem, captured in the

1967 Arab-Israeli war, constituted a new aggression and undermined Middle East peace prospects. The acceptance of the Israeli measure by any State would- be considered an aggressive act and Jordan would retaliate by severing diplomatic and economic relations. In Damascus, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said it- had asked the Arab. League to inform States with ’ . embassies in Jerusalem that it gave them one month to declare their condemnation of the Israeli Knesset’s decision and to start transferring their legations from the disputed city. Otherwise, Syria would cut relations with these States. The Palestine Liberation Organisation has already called for . a meeting of the Arab League and Islamic States have urged the United Nations to impose sanctions against Israel because of the Knesset legislation. Relatively few States have embassies in Jerusalem and diplomatic sources in" Beirut have seen growing Arab moves over the city as aimed primarily against the United States.' ■ I