Arab League chief: Israel's policies border on 'madness'

Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa, speaking at the Arab League summit in Doha on Monday, said Israel's military policies were nearing "madness." The Israel Defense Forces' operation in the Gaza Strip in December and January were marked by "arrogance and recklessness," Mussa told Arab leaders gathered in Doha. "The deliberate targeting of civilians is just one example of how the Israeli military's ideology is nearing madness," Mussa said. The Arab League's secretary general further called for Israeli soldiers to be held accountable for what he said were war crimes committed during Israel's 22-day offensive in the Gaza Strip in late December and January. Arab leaders in Qatar for the Arab League summit sent Israel an ultimatum Sunday: Accept the Saudi Peace Initiative or it will be rescinded. The draft proposal of the statement states: "The peace initiative being proposed today will not be on offer for a long time. Arab commitment to this initiative is dependent on Israeli acceptance." The draft proposal was formulated by the Arab foreign ministers, and was presented to the Arab League's leaders Monday for approval. The wording is a compromise between the hardline Arab countries, mainly Syria and Qatar, and the moderates, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.