Put the West Asia peace process back on track, Arafat tells NAM

Palestine President Yasser Arafat urged the Non-Aligned Movement to help put the West Asia peace process back on tracks and called for ''political, financial and moral support'' for his people to fight Israel's "expansionist designs.''

''It is regrettable that the Israeli government has used the American veto in the United Nations to continue its aggression,'' he said at the NAM ministerial conference in New Delhi.

''Israel's aggressive measures and acts, its tight security measures and the military mobilisation imposed on the Palestinian lands are equal to a war declaration on peace process,'' Arafat said.

The economic blockade and collective punishment imposed on the Palestinians contradicted the principles of peace process. Also, it caused the economy to loss nearly eight million dollars every day. This, Arafat pointed out, was thrice what donor countries gave the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

He accused the Israeli government of trying to build relations with Arab and non-aligned nations at Palestine's expense. The present Israeli government is refusing the ''Peace of the Braves'' signed at the White House.

The Israeli government's policies and attitudes were based on arrogance of power, intransigence as well as intensification and financing the Jewish settlement activities, particularly in Jerusalem. "The Israeli government has imposed economic blockade and restricted the movement of citizens, workers, goods and agricultural products from areas of Palestinian National Authority, " Arafat alleged.

UNI