Iraq and Iran said Tuesday that oil would be a potent weapon in pressuring Washington to force Israel out of Palestinian areas, but that the support of all Muslim oil-producing countries is required.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have resisted such calls in the past, however Arab frustration with US policies favoring Israel has deepened as Israel steps up its military response to a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings.
Indonesia said that getting the consensus needed would be "quite impossible."
Calls for using oil as a weapon are likely to further hike oil prices, which rose to their highest level in six months Monday because of traders' fears that tensions in the Middle East could disrupt supply, according to AP.
"Arab countries have the right to coordinate their policies to put pressure on Israel and those who defend Israel," Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told reporters Tuesday at a gathering by Muslim countries in Malaysia to discuss terrorism.
Sabri justified using oil as a weapon - apparently by restricting supplies - because Israel is "orchestrating a major terrorist campaign against Palestinians and threatening peace and stability in the Middle East."
On Monday, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein called upon Arab countries to adopt "economic measures" against Israel and its supporters. His ruling Ba’ath party urged Arabs to use oil as a weapon.
Since the Gulf War, Iraq remains under UN restrictions on selling its oil.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told reporters at the gathering by the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) that the support of many oil producers would be required.
"I believe that the Islamic world has enough instruments to use but it all depends on the collective decision of the Islamic nations," said Kharrazi. "If they decide to use oil as a weapon, it will certainly be very effective."
The last time oil-producing Arab nations used oil as a political weapon was in 1973, when reduced exports caused a global energy crisis.
In November 2000, Riyadh led the adoption of a pledge by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major exporters that oil would not be used as a political weapon. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
