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  Israel rebuffed the claims. "For too long too many people in the Arab world have used Israel as an excuse to justify behavior that cannot be justified," said Mark Regev, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry. "You can't have democratic elections because of Israel and you can't give equal rights to women in Saudi Arabia because of Israel. This is of course a cop out."

The 248-page report, published by the United Nations Development Program, was ready months ago, prior to the Palestinian and Iraqi elections, but its release was delayed because of objections by the US and Egypt. It was finally released with the UN logo and a disclaimer in the preface.

In the most controversial part titled Towards Freedom in the Arab World, the report stated that the Israeli occupation of the territories and the U.S. occupation of Iraq both created excuses for Arab governments to postpone democratization and they strengthened extremist groups which advocate violence.

A spokesman for the State Department rejected those claims.

"We think it's misguided to blame Israel for the problems and the challenges that the Arab world faces," said Greg Sullivan, spokesman for the Near East Affairs Department.

The report, which was written by Arab intellectuals and scholars including MK Azmi Bishara and Palestinian human rights lawyer Daoud Kuttab, said that the US undermined the international system by repeatedly using or threatening to use its UN Security Council veto, which enabled Israel to continue building new settlements and the security barrier in the West Bank.

"This has pushed many people in the region to lose hope of obtaining justice from global governance and could exacerbate a tendency towards extremism," the report said.

It also said the U.S. has created ambiguities regarding human rights because its "war on terror has cut into many Arab freedoms... An unfortunate by-product in some countries has been that Arabs are increasingly the victims of stereotyping, disproportionately harassed or detained without cause," it said.

Despite its reproach for the U.S. and Israel, the AHDR was ultimately most critical of the Arab governments, which earned it U.S. praise.

"Overall we welcome the recognition reflected in this report of the challenges that Arab society faces and the need for reform," said Sullivan.

In its scathing analysis of the obstacles to legal and political reform, the report warned the leaders of the 22 Arab states that if they don't reform fast, violence could erupt. "If the repressive situation in Arab countries continues, intensified societal conflict is likely to follow."

Examples of repression include restrictions on opposition political parties, the press, free expression and the persistence of emergency legislation and military tribunals.

Pressure for political change is building in the Arab world, the report warned.

An accompanying press release referred to the mass demonstrations in Lebanon, which forced the government to resign in February.

"Some Arab governments have begun to open themselves cautiously and selectively to opposition forces," the report observed.

The press release referred to this year's presidential election in the Palestinian territories and the municipal elections in Saudi Arabia. It also acknowledged Egypt's decision in February to allow multi-candidate elections for president.

These reforms, however, were not enough, it said.

"Partial reforms, no matter how varied, are no longer effective or even possible," the report said. "Comprehensive social reform in Arab countries can no longer be delayed or slowed down on account of vested interests."

The AHDR is the third in a four-part series assessing the Arab world, which has been published annually since 2002. This year it was presented in the Jordanian capital of Amman by regional UNDP director Rima Khalaf who dismissed the often-heard view that democracy is foreign to Arab culture.

"Despotism is not an Eastern characteristic," Khalaf told about 100 journalists and civil servants. "The Arabs, according to international surveys, have the greatest thirst for freedom and are the most appreciative of democracy out of all people of the world." Khalaf said the report concluded that governments should take bold steps to redistribute power and promote political participation.

The report was co-funded by the Kuwait-based Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and the Riyadh-based Arab Gulf Program for U.N. Development Organizations.

© 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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