Ministers of justice from around the Arab world attended a special conference in Beirut last week and, according to the October 29 Jordan Times report on the event, ?Counter-terrorism issues topped the agenda?? Jordan?s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Faris Nabulsi told the Times that the Arab ministers ?condemned all forms of terrorism, particularly state terrorism practised by Israel against the Palestinian people.? In this context, Nabulsi also said that the ministers also reportedly cited and condemned ?threats to use force against any Arab country under the pretext of disarming the country from weapons of mass destruction, while at the same time ignoring the threat posed by Israel ? in possession of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.? With this understanding of terrorism, the Arab ministers were able to clearly express support for ?UN efforts to eradicate international terrorism. They also urged coordination between Arab countries and their UN delegates regarding international agreements designed to combat the phenomenon, including an international agreement to curb nuclear terrorism, among others.?



To be sure that their stand was clear, the Arab ministers ?reiterated a call for differentiation between terrorism and legitimate national struggles, according to Nabulsi, who added that ministers rejected any link between Islam and terrorism,? reported the Jordan Times.