Muslim leaders condemn Israel

The summit expressed confidence in the Palestinian leadership

The Islamic summit in Qatar has ended with a formal declaration condemning Israel and supporting the Palestinians.

Leaders of 56 Muslim countries - attending in meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) - also criticised the United States by name for the first time.

It called for Washington to adopt a fair and honest stance to stop what was termed the bloody Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

This brutal aggression is a premeditated act as part of a consistent Israeli policy to impose the status quo and Judaise the holy city

Name Here

However, the BBC diplomatic correspondent, Barnaby Mason, says that in the wake of a series of fiery speeches calling for actions, not words, concrete measures against Israel are thin on the ground.

The summit has invited member states to break off all relations with Israel if they have them.

But our correspondent says it became clear earlier that some countries would ignore this invitation - notably Turkey and the two Arab states which have signed peace treaties with Israel: Egypt and Jordan.

Palestinian protection

This fell short of demands by Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and several other delegations, who called for a resolution committing members to a breach of relations with Israel.

The OIC said it would resist moves to set up embassies in Jerusalem

In its warning to Washington, the summit document said OIC members were "determined to break their relations with any state that transfers its embassy to Jerusalem or recognises the holy city as Israel's capital".

Summit leaders also backed calls by Yasser Arafat for the deployment of international forces in the region - which Israel has rejected.

The group said it would appoint a team of foreign ministers to lobby for a United Nations Security Council vote on international protection for the Palestinians.

Leaders of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims also rejected attempts by hardliners Iraq and Sudan to call for a jihad (holy war) against Israel.

They also expressed "total confidence" in the Palestinian leadership - which correspondents say means Mr Arafat - and hailed the "intifada" (uprising) that has claimed more than 215 lives.

On Sunday, Mr Arafat told the summit that the uprising would continue despite the heavy toll among Palestinians.