DOHA, Qatar (FinalCall.com)�[Editor�s note: The following statement was delivered June 25, 2002 by Minister Louis Farrakhan during a press conference held in Doha, Qatar, where he was on the first leg of his Peace Mission to the Middle East and Africa.]

As-Salaam-Alaikum. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

My dear brothers and sisters of the press, we have called this press conference, first, to thank the Government of Qatar and its leader, His Royal Highness, Emir Althani, for their gracious reception of myself and my delegation. We thank the Ambassador Dafa, the Foreign Ministry, and the Ministers of Awqaaf for the warm reception that we had at the Diplomatic Club last evening, and for the kindness that was shown to us by the Police Department and security persons who have looked out for us since we landed in Doha. Our gratitude to all for making our stay in Qatar a most joyous and memorable one.

We also thank His Royal Highness for his official reception of me and my delegation at his palace, and according us the kindness of sharing with us, his counsel, his advice, his good wishes for our journey, and his hopes and prayers that Allah would bless our Peace Mission with success.

On last evening I was very disappointed in the Peace Initiative by my own government as represented by our president, President Bush. I think his advisers caused the President to miss a great opportunity to give hope to the suffering Palestinians, ease the fear, mistrust and even cause the hatred that exists in this part of the world for America to decrease instead of increase.

Unfortunately, the peace initiative was tied to so many concessions expected of the Palestinians, that in my humble judgment, it increases the anger of the Palestinians, their despair and, unfortunately, it increases the desire of some to continue to use their bodies as weapons against Israeli occupation.

There were aspects of President Bush�s peace plan that of course are acceptable. But being tied to concessions that will lengthen the time of misery of the Palestinian people is unacceptable.

The European Peace Plan, the Saudi Peace Plan that has been endorsed by the Arab League, the Gadhafi Peace Plan, are plans�along with President Bush�s Peace Initiative�that have aspects in these plans that could form a framework for peace.

It reminds me of the surah (chapter) The Bee in the Holy Qur�an, where the bee goes to each flower and extracts the best part of it and then goes away and makes honey, which is a healing for the diseases of mankind. If the wise of the world, in an International Peace Conference, would extract the best that is in each of these plans, they could formulate a framework for peace that would give hope to both sides, that at last this conflict that has been raging for 54 years might come to a peaceful end.

Therefore, we call on the United Nations that helped to create the State of Israel to call for this International Peace Conference under its auspices. At the same time, since Jerusalem is holy and sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims, we cannot leave the solution alone in the hands of the politicians. But the religious leaders of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam also have a stake in the resolution of this conflict.

Therefore, the religious leaders of the three faiths of Abraham should be called together simultaneously to look at this problem from the base of the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur�an, to add their voices to the political voices and perhaps in so doing, the Palestinian people as well as the Israeli people will find some measure of hope that this long, dark night of hatred, violence and bloodshed may end.

Such a Peace Conference involving the leaders of the world and the religious leaders of all three of the faiths of Abraham cannot go forward in an atmosphere of violence. Therefore, I am imploring the Government of Israel to allow me to enter Israel that I might speak to the leaders of Hamas, the Al Aqsa Brigade, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad, and also Chairman Arafat, to ask them if they would agree to a 90- to 120-day moratorium on suicide bombings, and all forms of violence.

I am asking Prime Minister Sharon, if we get such a word and agreement from these parties, that all of the tanks and the soldiers that are presently occupying Palestinian towns come out of these towns, and this very expensive wall that the Israelis are building, let it cease. And let all give peace a chance.

I believe that this is the opportune time for peace because it is the darkest hour in the 54-year history of this State of Israel, and it is the darkest hour in the suffering of the Palestinian people.

But as Almighty God Allah brought light out of darkness, I believe, now that the whole world is interested in seeing a peaceful resolution to this conflict, that this is the time that all should concentrate on peace in the Middle East.

And should God bless us to create a peaceful resolution to this conflict in The Holy Land, then with our combined will, we can produce peace throughout our planet.

We must put a stop to murder and war that the children of our planet may have a future.

Thank you.

Photo: Min. Farrakhan holds talks with Qatar Emir Althani in Doha, Qatar.
Credit: Kenneth Muhammad