Arab League summit to focus on Jerusalem

Day after pledging $500 million to 'deal with Israel's measures in the city', al-Hayat newspaper reports Arab countries plan to appeal to International Court of Justice, demand complete stop to settlements

Roee Nahmias|Published: 03.26.10 , 10:59

The 22nd Arab League summit which opens Saturday in the Libyan city of Sirte is expected to focus on Jerusalem, Arab media reported Friday.

The London-based Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper reported that the Arab League's foreign ministers held a closed preparation meeting on Thursday and decided that the "Jerusalem summit" would end with an agreement on "an action plan for saving the holy city."

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Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa announced Thursday that the foreign ministers had agreed to allot $500 million in aid to Jerusalem. The London-based newspaper reported Friday that the sum would be used "to counter Israel's moves in the city". The Arab countries also plan to appeal to the International Court of Justice through Saudi Arabia and demand a stop to settlement construction.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossam Zaki said Thursday at the end of the foreign ministers' meeting that his country would raise ideas during the summit for "concrete and defined steps which would lead to an improvement in the situation of Jerusalem's (Arab) residents and support their steadfast standing against Israel's radical moves."

The event will be attended by 14 leaders of Arab countries, although several leaders will be replaced by representatives holding lower ranks. According to al-Hayat, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who is recovering from an operation, will be absent, as well as the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Oman, Djibouti, Lebanon and Iraq.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver a speech during the event. Another guest will be Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.