WASHINGTON (voa) – The Bush administration has welcomed the Arab League’s unanimous endorsement of a Saudi peace plan for the Middle East.
But the White House is not expecting the Arab leaders’ approval to lead to a quick end to escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence. The Arab League endorsed the plan Thursday at the close of its two-day summit in Beirut.
The plan, presented by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, calls for normal relations between the Arab world and Israel in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from territories occupied since 1967. It also calls for recognition of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and for the return of Palestinian refugees.
U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher says he hopes the Arab backing of the plan will serve as a catalyst for the peace process. But Israeli officials have criticized the plan as being too vague and have cautioned that the return of Palestinian refugees would threaten Israel’s security.
The summit was marred by the absence of several Arab leaders and a walkout by the Palestinian delegation when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s speech was not broadcast live at the meeting, as scheduled on Wednesday.
