Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 28, 1994                   TAG: 9403280084
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CAIRO, EGYPT                                LENGTH: Short

ARAB LEAGUE DIVIDED OVER ISRAEL AS ENEMY

The 22-member organization postponed decisions on resolutions about Arab solidarity, security, the boycott against Israel and changing voting rules.

Almost since the league's founding in 1945 by seven Arab countries, solidarity against Israel has been probably the only common factor.

A league source said Sunday that participants could not agree on a common plan for Arab security because of differences on which countries constitute a threat, leaving each Arab nation with its own definition of the enemy.

In its 101st meeting, the league did confirm an earlier decision urging Israel to withdraw from all occupied territory. It also reaffirmed support for PLO-Israeli peace talks, while calling for pressure on Israel to accept international protection for Palestinians.

The league always had trouble making decisions because its charter calls for deciding everything by consensus. The problem has worsened because of Egypt's separate peace with Israel, disputes between Arab countries and the 1990 Gulf War in which Iraq invaded a fellow Arab country, Kuwait.

Oil-rich Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Qatar and Oman argue that since Arabs are negotiating with Israel, it is meaningless to maintain the boycott as its secondary level which bans dealing with foreign companies that trade with the Jewish state.

The United States has pressed Arab countries to partially lift the boycott and warned of legal action against companies that remain committed to the boycott.