also scoffed at divisions among rival Lebanese factions on whether Lebanon should or shouldn't attend the summit, due in Syria next week.A Lebanese participation or boycott won't have any effect on the outcome of Arab leaders' talks, said Fadlallah, 72, the top religious authority for Lebanon's 1.2 million Shiites.
His remarks came as the Lebanese government has yet to decide on attending or boycotting the summit scheduled in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on March 29-30.
Fadlallah lamented inter-Arab differences, which he said were reflected by the fact several Arab leaders have questioned whether they would attend or send a low-level representation. "This (comes) in addition to clear American instructions for an Arab boycott as a punishment for Damascus," Fadlallah told thousands of worshippers at a Beirut mosque in his Friday prayer sermon. He did not elaborate, but his comment appeared to refer to Washington's long-standing hostility to the Syrian regime, accused of backing Iraqi and Palestinian militants.