The foreign ministers of Islamic countries at their meeting in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, were unable to reach an agreement on a general definition of terrorism. The foreign ministers and other officials from 56 member countries have drafted a declaration stating that the United Nations is the best place to define the meaning and concept of terrorism. However, the draft declaration of the Islamic conference rejected any attempt to associate Islam and Muslims with terrorism and did not consider the Palestinian struggle to fall under the definition of terrorism. The final text of the Islamic conference declaration is expected to be approved tomorrow at the end of the current meeting. Yesterday, Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, stated at the opening of the conference that anyone who attacks civilian targets, including Palestinian suicide bombers, should be considered a terrorist. However, representatives of the Palestinians and other Middle Eastern countries opposed this definition, arguing that Palestinian suicide bombers resort to such actions due to desperation caused by what they call Israeli terrorism.
Islamic Conference Fails to Reach Consensus on Definition of Terrorism - 2002-04-02
The Islamic Conference in Kuala Lumpur failed to agree on a universal definition of terrorism, with 56 member countries drafting a declaration that emphasizes the UN's role in defining terrorism. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad labeled attacks on civilians as terrorism, which was contested by Palestinian representatives who argue their actions stem from Israeli aggression. This matter is significant as it reflects ongoing tensions in defining terrorism in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Islamic Conference in Kuala Lumpur failed to reach a consensus on a universal definition of terrorism. The drafted declaration emphasized the UN's role in defining terrorism while rejecting any association of Islam with terrorist acts.
- The conference included 56 member countries from the Islamic world.
- The Palestinian struggle was explicitly excluded from the definition of terrorism in the draft declaration.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The debate over the definition of terrorism is crucial as it affects international law, state policies, and the perception of Muslim communities worldwide. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict often complicates these discussions.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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