Muslim Summit Meets On Middle East Crisis
Iranian President Ahmadinejad has criticized the Security Council's inaction (file photo) (epa)
August 3, 2006 -- Leaders from countries in the world's largest Muslim political bloc have today opened an emergency summit to organize support for an immediate end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad is among the leaders attending the summit of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference in the Malaysian city of Putrajaya.
Speaking to reporters at the meeting, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri described Israel's offensive in Lebanon as a "massacre" that has angered Muslims around the world and could provoke a clash of civilizations.
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi criticized the United Nations Security Council for not taking a harder line against Israel, and called on Muslim countries to be ready to commit forces to a proposed UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
(compiled from agency reports)