Arab summit showcases anger, not peace

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- At a tumultuous summit opening marked by angry words and walkouts, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah proposed Wednesday that the Arab world offer Israel "normal relations" and security in exchange for full withdrawal from Arab lands held since 1967 and the right of return for Palestinian refugees. \nAs Abdullah presented his long-awaited peace overture, a spat erupted after the host, Lebanon, prevented Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from addressing the forum live by satellite from the West Bank. The Palestinian delegation walked out of the session in fury. Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri later said Arafat's speech would be carried Thursday morning, though it was not clear how the dispute had been resolved.\nArafat welcomed the Saudi initiative and urged Arab leaders to adopt it. The White House praised Abdullah, with spokeswoman Claire Buchan saying President Bush "urges other leaders to build on the crown prince's ideas to address the cause of peace in the troubled region." Administration officials also disclosed that Abdullah will meet with Bush at his Texas ranch during the last week in April. \nIsrael, however, was cool to the overture, saying the offer of "normal relations" was too vague and rejecting Palestinian refugees' right of return. \nThe Arab summit began debate over whether to adopt Abdullah's proposal with several nations expressing support and Syria seeking some changes. The summit has been plagued by no-shows: Out of 22 Arab League member states, a dozen leaders were absent. Most significantly, Arafat and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan, all of whom support the Saudi plan, stayed away amid anger at Israeli policies. \nStill, Abdullah delivered the initiative in a 10-minute speech that drew applause and was broadcast live on television. \nThe Saudi crown prince first floated his ideas last month and has since been revising some specifics, adding the call for the right of return, a traditional Arab demand not mentioned initially. \nAbdullah referred Wednesday to "normal relations" with Israel -- a slight change from the "full normalization" he offered in his initial comments to The New York Times in February.