Libya slams 'cowardly' response to Gaza assault

Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi called on the Arab League to revoke the Arab peace initiative with Israel, accusing Arab leaders of a 'cowardly' response to Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in a television address on Saturday following Tel Aviv's massacre of Gazans.

Gaddafi addressed a group of his supporters, urging Arab leaders to withdraw a Saudi-sponsored Arab initiative for peace to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. His speech was carried by Libya's state news agency Jana.

"You should withdraw your initiative, which you have called an Arab initiative. It is an Arab conspiracy that has caused these massacres," he said.

The Arab peace initiative was approved by the Arab League in Beirut in 2002 and was ratified in Riyadh in 2007.

"We should be ashamed of such proposals," Gaddafi continued, "There are hundreds of people dying in the Gaza Strip as victims of the elections in Israel and in the United States. Our children are being slaughtered for the sake of Israel's election.

"As long as we are unable to be free and unable to stop the attacks and the massacres, what will you do at this convention? The best answer is to revoke what is called the Arab peace initiative," he added.

Gaddafi said it would be better if Arab leaders did nothing or said nothing until they were able to come up with measures to deter Israel from attacking Palestinians.

Gaddafi also derided proposals by Arab leaders on holding emergency summits, referring to the upcoming summit session which was due to be held today but was postponed till Wednesday.

"How many times have you held emergency summits? Is this the first time you are proposing an emergency summit? How many summits have you held on the Palestinian issue? What have you achieved?" he asked.

As long as we are unable to be free and unable to stop the attacks and the massacres, what will you do at this convention? The best answer is to revoke what is called the Arab peace initiative.

Muammar Gaddafi

Arab leaders criticized

Gaddafi accused Arab leaders of failing to support the Palestinians in the enclave beyond offering humanitarian aid or discussing a possible Arab summit.

"They are trading on the name of the Palestinian cause with their cowardly, weak and defeatist stands," said Gaddafi, referring to Arab leaders and their attempts to find a common position on the Israeli raids.

"One proposes a (peace) initiative. Another offers empty humanitarian relief. The next one makes speech and the other takes an initiative to call for an emergency Arab summit," he added, without naming individual Arab leaders.

"Arabs are the ones who need peace, not the Israelis who live in peace. Who are dying in their dozens and hundreds? They are Arabs," he added.

Israel said its raids, which have killed more than 280 people in Gaza in the past two days, were in response to cross-border rocket attacks by Hamas.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday blamed Hamas, rivals to his own Fatah movement, for triggering the Israeli strikes.

Arabs are the ones who need peace, not the Israelis who live in peace. Who are dying in their dozens and hundreds? They are Arabs.

Muammar Gaddafi