Arabs, Israel split on terror definition

"On this much world leaders can agree, peace is good, terrorism is bad.

But in speeches delivered by world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly ministerial meetings, differing interpretations on what qualifies as terror have emerged - ones that appear to mirror the Arab-Israeli divide.

For the Arabs, the challenge is to encourage a global audience already largely sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians to translate that sympathy into addressing the core of the problem. For Israel, it's to paint a more sympathetic picture of the challenges that country faces in a largely hostile region.

While condemning terrorism, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa on Monday called on the world to "condemn the systematic state terror perpetrated by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories."

Al-Sharaa, whose country is on a U.S.-list of state sponsors of terror, said Syria has signed all major international counterterrorism conventions and ones issued by the Arab world and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

"The latter two conventions define the terrorist crime, and distinguish between terrorism and the legitimate right of people lingering under foreign occupation to resist occupation in accordance with international law and the United Nations' Charter," al-Sharaa said."