Notwithstanding the strongly worded demands for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and UN intervention, the emergency session of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in the Malaysian capital only managed to expose a lack of unity within the Muslim world.

The bombing of Lebanon has continued and a ceasefire is nowhere in sight, making it clear that the fulminations at the OIC have not impressed either Israel or its backers — the US and Britain. “The OIC statement is just another voice that would reinforce the chorus of voices against the bombing,” said Chandra Muzzafar, president of the Kuala Lumpur-based International Movement for a Just World. “We demand that the UN Security Council fulfil its responsibility by deciding on and enforcing an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire,” he said. Like other academics and political analysts, Muzzafar feels that beyond statements OIC members, especially the Arab countries, are unlikely to pursue concrete action.

The meeting was divided. Shia countries, especially Iran, took a hard line, demanding that Israel be “wiped out” from the face of the earth, while moderate Sunni countries like Malaysia and Indonesia were content with voicing demands for an immediate ceasefire, followed by UN-led peacekeeping.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said the Israeli offensive had infuriated Muslims across the world. “A negative feeling is arising on the streets of Muslim countries. We do not want a clash of civilisations.” As US’s ‘most allied ally’ in the region, Pakistan is an active partner in the ‘war on terror’ in Afgha-nistan and already has to contend with rising domestic opposition to this policy.

Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who chaired the special emergency session of the 18 OIC members last Thursday, later rejected an offer from Israel for talks. Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel nor does its large Muslim neighbour Indonesia. Muslim organisations, political parties and Malaysian newspapers have strongly condemned the bombing and demanded that the OIC move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action to end the bombing.

The OIC meeting declared that continued bombing will push moderate Muslims towards extreme and violent means to seek justice. “Boiling anger over the Israeli offensive in Lebanon could launch a new wave of terrorism,” OIC chairman Badawi said. He has written a letter to President Bush demanding that the White House intervene to stop Israel. Worldwide Muslim anger over the carnage in Lebanon, where the death toll has topped 900, had forced the OIC to convene an emergency meeting to decide on a unified Islamic response.

Key members from the 57-nation bloc attended the meet. Also attending were delegates from Lebanon, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Many individuals and organisations felt let down by the OIC meeting, which they said, should have moved beyond “urging” and “appealing.” “The OIC should evolve into a military alliance to better defend Islam and the sovereignty of Muslim nations,” said Salahuddin Ayub, leader of the youth wing of the fundamentalist Pan Malaysian Islamic Party or PAS. — IPS