JEDDAH, 9 September 2003 — The Gulf Cooperation Council yesterday called on the Palestinians to close ranks and unite, but made no comment on the political power struggle or Israeli efforts to kill the Hamas’ founder.

“The GCC calls on all Palestinian parties to unite, which is necessary, and to avoid any difference likely to harm the interests of the Palestinian people,” the Arab bloc’s foreign ministers said in a statement closing a two-day meeting here.

The declaration blamed Israel’s “policy of violence, assassinations and invasion of cities” for the worsening situation in the territories.

But there was no mention by the GCC states of the Israeli air raid on Saturday targeting Hamas leader Ahmad Yassin nor the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

The GCC also called for the United Nations to be given a “central role” in Iraq. “The GCC calls for the UN to be given a central role in Iraq, on a political, economic and security level,” the bloc’s foreign ministers said in the statement.

The GCC states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates expressed hope that the United Nations could work “to ensure the security and stability of Iraq.”

But the statement, which voiced concern at the “continuing state of insecurity and instability in Iraq,” made no reference to President George W. Bush’s call for neighbors to send troops and for greater UN involvement.

The foreign ministers supported the setting up by Washington of an interim government in Iraq in the hope it would be “a step toward a constitutional government which would guarantee the security, independence and territorial integrity of Iraq.”

The GCC condemned the recent bloody attacks on the UN headquarters in Baghdad and the Imam Ali Mosque in the city of Najaf warning they were designed to “undermine the unity of the Iraqi people.”  Arab News Staff Writer