TEHRAN An article written by the Egyptian analyst and researcher Fahmi Hoveidi, carried by the Beirut-based daily ****As-Safir ****, said that although the destruction of the Buddhist statutes by the Taleban is a wrong act, the Western approach to this issue is also hypocritical.

He said those Westerners who are currently raising a hue and cry over the destruction of the statues in Afghanistan have turned a blind eye to the destruction of Islamic cultural monuments in other places, including Bait-ul-Moqaddas.

"The Taleban's decision to destroy the statues did not come as a surprise, as it was in line with their way of thinking and attitude towards women, television, photography and other kinds of art. But what is surprising is the double standard and hypocritical approach of the Western circles," the writer added.

Hoveidi further asked, "Did the West react to the Serbs' shelling and destruction of 800 Islamic mosques in Bosnia?"

Those Westerners who claim to advocate culture and civilization are making no objections to Israel's attempts at destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the writer noted.