Special report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts 

    BAGHDAD, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iraq said Wednesday that it will participate in an emergency Arab states summit due to be held in Qatar on Friday, an Iraqi official television reported.

    "Iraq has decided to take part in the emergency Arab summit on Gaza issue in Qatar next Friday," the state-run Iraqi television said.

    Nassir al-Ani, head of the Presidency Council, said, "Iraq initially will participate in the Arab emergency summit and the Presidency Council is expected to convene tonight to issue a final decision about the participation of the Qatar summit."

    "There is a kind of agreement among the Iraqi leaders that the country's delegation to the summit would be headed by Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi," Ani said.

    Qatar has called for an urgent Arab summit twice since Israel launched military operation on the heavily populated Gaza Strip on Dec. 27.

    Israel said its raids on Gaza were aimed at revenging Hamas rocket and mortar attacks.