The Islamic meeting recommended breaking relations with Israel and threatened to break off relations with any country that transfers its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem or recognizes the holy city as Israel's capital. US special envoy to the Middle East, Dennis Ross, made his nth diplomatic tour of Gaza last week to mediate between the two warring sides. Russian Foreign Minister Iganov also held talks with the Israeli Prime Minister, but none of the efforts seemed to have worked. Israeli forces have intensified their attacks against the Palestinians. They have attacked and destroyed Arafat's office and even a Palestinian hospital.
Political observers see great danger in the Middle East.
The continued clashes resulting in hundreds of Palestinian deaths have sharply weakened the authority of Palestinian leader Arafat. Many of the Palestinians no more believe that Arafat's policy is going to work with the Israelis. There is real danger of the rise of Palestinian extremism in Middle East politics. In this vulnerable situation, there seems little hope that talks would any time soon bring peace in the Middle East. With the Clinton presidency about to fade in history's sunset and Arafat fast losing his grip on authority against the hawks, the future path looks unchartable.