DUBAI, Sept 29: Arab and other Muslim countries should not rush to establish ties with Israel now that it has withdrawn from Gaza, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa was quoted as saying on Thursday.

“Israel’s policies do not deserve Arab courtesy,” Mr Moussa said in an interview with the Arabic newspaper Asharq al Awsat conducted earlier this month at the United Nations in New York.

“Why are they offering (Israel) free rewards?” he said, referring to Israel’s Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom’s Meetings with ministers from Pakistan, Jordan, Tunisia, Indonesia and Qatar.

“I don’t understand why they are hailing Israel. Because of the withdrawal from Gaza? Doesn’t everyone know that this is an incomplete withdrawal and that settlements are still being built and that the wall is being built?” he asked.

Israel completed its withdrawal from Gaza earlier this month, sparking hopes that peacemaking with the Palestinians could be revived. A flurry of diplomatic activity followed the pullout, signalling a thaw in ties with Muslim nations.

Mr Moussa said the Arab League did not oppose normalizing ties with Israel, but said Arab countries had a ‘historic obligation’ towards the Palestinians and that any ties must be preceded by an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem.—Reuters