Muslim powers stage emergency Mideast summit

The Muslim world's biggest bloc held an emergency summit Thursday to muster support for a swift cease-fire, peacekeeping missions and coordinated humanitarian relief in Lebanese and Palestinian territories. Malaysia, which chairs the 56-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference, rallied presidents, prime ministers and policy-makers of 17 key Muslim countries - including Iran, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey - to articulate their anguish over the IDF offensive in the Middle East. The conflict "carries the danger of a spillover that will have disastrous consequences," Bangladesh's Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said in a prepared speech at the one-day talks. "This will surely add to radicalization in the Muslim world, (which) in turn will increase difficulties for those of us on the side of moderation."