Rage around world as leaders prepare to talk

The streets of the West Bank and Gaza have finally quietened but the raging anger of the Middle East is spreading across the globe, from Europe to Australia, Khartoum to Chicago.

An emergency summit in Egypt, arranged by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and expected to include the leaders of Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt as well as US President Bill Clinton, is due to begin tomorrow.

No leader is hopeful of a breakthrough and pre-summit demands by the Israeli and Palestinian delegations have already threatened to abort it before anyone even takes a chair at the table.

Oil prices, which soared to decade-high levels on Friday, eased slightly over the weekend amid hopes that Arab producers would not punish Israel's Western backers.

Around the world there remained enthusiasm for a "day of rage" - a display of sympathy for Palestinians and anger at Israeli military attacks.

Members of a 2500-strong demonstration tried to storm the US consulate in Sydney, but were held back by police.

Despite appeals from protest leaders to avoid presenting a negative image to the media, activists burned flags and shouted chants that drowned calls for a peaceful protest.

While Arab nations have asked for an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly, fury at last week's Israeli helicopter attacks has left the debating chamber and headed, like a contagion, to streets across the world, where embassies have been stoned, synagogues burned and calls for retribution and justice have rung out.

Effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were burned in Lebanon and while protesters burned flags in Cairo, others threw stones at the US Embassy in Khartoum, shouting "Down, down USA, we won't be ruled by the CIA!"

Two police officers were stabbed in Pretoria, South Africa, during clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and police near the US Embassy.

Security at Jewish institutions in France has been stepped up after five synagogues were set on fire and others vandalised.

Slogans unheard since the Nazi occupation of the 1940s have been voiced by youths. They have been shouting "Death to the Jews" at rallies in Paris and Lyon.

US presidential candidate Al Gore cut short a campaign meeting to return to the White House for a National Security Council meeting, while violence and rage spread to the shores of his country, where a Chicago rabbi narrowly escaped injury when his car was sprayed by bullets in a drive-by shooting.

One nation, however, marked the "Day of Rage" by helping the Palestinians without throwing stones or burning flags.

The United Arab Emirates raised $US22 million ($55 million) in a telethon in one day.

Herald Online feature: Middle East

Map

Middle East Daily

Arabic News

Arabic Media Internet Network
Jerusalem Post

Israel Wire

US Department of State - Middle East Peace Process