Comprehensive information and links about Israel Arab League

Arab League (Arabic: جامعة الدول العربية), is an organization of Arab states - compare Arab world. It resembles the Organization of American States, the Council of Europe, or the former Organization for African Unity (now African Union), in that it has primarily political aims; however, its membership is based on culture rather than geographical location(which is the basis for membership of the other organizations cited above); one can regard each of these organizations as a regional version of the United Nations.

(There is a strong correspondence between the Arab League and the bigger Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which includes all Islamic countries; all Arab League members are also members of the OIC.)

The Arab League differs notably from some other regional organizations such as the European Union, in that it has not achieved any significant degree of regional integration and the organization itself has no direct relations with the citizens of its member states. Instead, the League's charter states that the League shall co-ordinate economic affairs, including commercial relations; communications; cultural affairs; nationality, passports, and visas; social affairs; and health affairs. The Charter of the Arab League also forbids member states from resorting to force against each other.

Cairo in Egypt hosts the permanent headquarters of the League.

Seven states formed the Arab League on March 22, 1945, defining its main goals as to:

dlServe the common good of all Arab countries, ensure better conditions for all Arab countries, guarantee the future of all Arab countries and fulfill the hopes and expectations of all Arab countries. Palestine - succeeding to the position held by the Palestine Liberation Organization since September 9, 19761942 - The United Kingdom promotes the idea of an Arab League in an attempt to win over Arabs as allies in war against Germany.1944 - Official representatives from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, North Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Transjordan (Jordan and Palestine) meet in Alexandria, Egypt, and agree to form the League of Arab States.1945 - Arab league member states declare a boycott of Jewish businesses in Palestine (continued after the establishment of Israel as the Arab League boycott).1958 - Morocco and Tunisia join the Arab League; The United Nations recognizes the League and designates it as the UN's organisation for education, science and culture in the Arab region.1964 - The first summit convenes in Cairo; the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO) forms; a second league summit that autumn welcomes the establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).1976 - Arab League summit in Cairo authorises the formation and deployment of an Arab peacekeeping force, mainly Syrian, in Lebanon.1979 - The League suspends Egypt's membership in the wake of President Anwar Sadat's visit to Jerusalem and of Egypt's peace agreement with Israel; the Arab League moves its headquarters to Tunis.1987 - The Arab League unanimously endorses a statement on Iraq's defense of its legitimate rights in its dispute with Iran.1990 (May) - A summit meeting in Baghdad criticizes Western efforts to prevent Iraq from developing advanced weapons technology.1990 (August) - At an emergency summit, 12 out of the 20 states present condemn the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; unified Yemen joins the Arab League.1994 - The Arab League condemns the Gulf Cooperation Council's decision to end the secondary and tertiary trade embargo against Israel, insisting that only i1996 - The Arab League Council determines that Iraq, Syria and Turkey should share the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers equitably between them. (This followed complaints by Syria and Iraq that extensive construction work in southern Turkey had started to restrict their water-supply.)1998 - The Arab League Secretary-General condemns the use or threat of force against Iraq; Arab League interior and justice ministers sign an agreement to strengthen cooperation against terrorism; the Arab League denounces bomb attacks against US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and US missile strikes against Afghanistan and Sudan.2002 - During an annual summit in Beirut in March, the Arab League proposes full normalization of relations with Israel in exchange for Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 internationally recognized borders, implying Israeli evacuation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, east Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the return of all Palestinian refugees and their descendants to Israel.2002 - Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi threatens to withdraw from the League, because of "Arab incapacity" in resolving the crises between the United States and Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.2003 - The League votes 21-1 in favor of a resolution demanding the immediate and unconditional removal of US and British soldiers from Iraq. (Kuwait casts the lone dissenting vote.)On 25 Nov 1981: The meeting ended without agreeing on the document and Egypt not shared in it. It is considered the shortest summit, only lasting 5 hours.There are two summits other than the forementioned, but they are not added to the system of Arab League summits:

Organization

• Secretary General of the League of Arab States • Deputy General Secretary of the Arab League • The Council of the Arab League • Arab Economic Social Council • Technical Committees • Specilaized Ministerial Councils • Arab Specialized Organizations • Arab Unions • Joint Arab-Foreign Chambers Of Commerce • Missions • General Secretariat Departments • General Secretariat Sub Departments

Libya announced its withdrawal on October 24, 2002; this would have been effective one year later; however Libya cancelled (January 16, 2003), reaffirmed (April 3, 2003), and again cancelled (May 25, 2003) the decision to withdraw.