1 - 7 November 2001
Issue No.558
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 1 - 7 November 2001 Issue No.558 |
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Revival unlikely soon
President Hosni Mubarak does not believe that Palestinian-Israeli negotiations can resume soon and opposes linking terrorism to Islam. Khaled Dawoud and Soha Abdelaty report
Israel's withdrawal from two Palestinian West Bank towns on Sunday was not enough to induce hope that peace talks between the two sides might restart soon, Egyptian officials say.
President Hosni Mubarak with Al-Azhar scholars
Israel had re-occupied parts of six West Bank towns, which it had previously handed over to the Palestinian Authority in line with the 1993 Oslo agreement. Israel's intent was to punish Palestinians for killing an extremist right-wing minister two weeks ago. Israel claimed it carried out the incursions to seize the minister's killers after Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat refused to hand them over. But after pressure from around the world, and particularly the United States, Israel was forced to withdraw, leaving destruction and many Palestinian civilian dead in its wake.
At a meeting with Islamic scholars on Monday, President Hosni Mubarak said he was not optimistic that negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians could resume soon, blaming Israel's government, led by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, for the deteriorating situation in the region.
"Right now, I do not expect that negotiations (between Israel and the Palestinians) will take place," he said. Clearly condemning Sharon, Mubarak added that "whenever the situation calms down slightly, and we start looking for a solution, they (the Israeli government) come up with a new catastrophe and put the process on hold."
Mubarak also said that Israel's violence would never lead to a settlement. "There is no option but negotiation. After six months, a year, or two years [Israel will reach this conclusion]. Force has never solved any problem in the world. On the contrary, bombing and killing will only push others to seek revenge, and we will enter a vicious circle without end."
Mubarak said that he recognises that the United States is currently distracted by the military campaign against Afghanistan, "but there must be some effort by the European Union and the United States concerning the Palestinian issue, at least to reduce the violence and terrorism and bring security to both Palestinian and Israeli citizens."
Mubarak reiterated his refusal to call the Palestinian resistance against Israel's occupation terrorism, saying, "if we consider what Palestinians are doing as terrorism, I would also consider what Israel is doing in the occupied territories as terrorism." He added that Israel was the only country in the world whose cabinet holds meetings to approve the assassinations of activists, which are called "targeted killings."
Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, in statements on Tuesday, dismissed Sharon's threat that he would keep his troops in the remaining four occupied Palestinian towns unless the PA agrees to a maximum effort to stop the violence.
"Look at Sharon's statements in the past period. How many times has he said he will not withdraw, and look at us today. Do not attach too much importance to whatever Mr Sharon says," Maher told Al- Ahram Weekly.
At his meeting with the Islamic scholars, Mubarak also responded to questions on the situation in Afghanistan. After confirming Egypt's strong condemnation of the 11 September attacks against New York and Washington, the president rounded on those who claim the attacks were intended to serve the Palestinian cause. Without mentioning Osama Bin Laden by name, Mubarak said that when the United States decided to punish the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks, "they [the terrorists] started speaking about Palestine, a cause which they have never spoken about before."
Mubarak insisted that terrorism was not linked to Islam and cited several acts of terrorism which have been carried out in the United States and Europe by nationals of those countries.
"But the situation in the Middle East is a different issue," Mubarak said. "People (in Palestine) have reached such a degree of frustration and are smarting under the feeling of injustice, and this leads to increased violence between Israel and the Palestinians."
He also revealed that disagreement on a definition of terrorism, and whether Palestinian violence in the occupied territories was legitimate resistance or terrorism, was one of the main reasons for delaying an Egypt-proposed international conference to combat terrorism. "We have always refused to label what is going on in Palestine as terrorism because they (the Palestinians) are fighting to regain their land. But some countries opposed that [stance], and we did not manage to hold the conference on terrorism. We should have a clear definition of terrorism as soon as possible, and agree on measures for dealing with terrorists, so that they cannot benefit from political asylum in certain countries to plan crimes back home."
President Mubarak is due to depart for Spain today (Thursday) for talks with top officials on the current situation in the Middle East and the situation in Afghanistan.
Mubarak's visit to Spain aims to serve two purposes, according to Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher. The first is to discuss relations between the two countries as well as the Middle East peace process. The second is for Mubarak to deliver the keynote speech at a Euro-Mediterranean symposium, which will cover the issue of expanding the European Union to include Mediterranean countries. Mubarak is expected to meet the King of Spain, Juan Carlos, as well as the Spanish Prime Minister, José Maria Aznar.
Maher will accompany Mubarak on the visit. The foreign minister also revealed that he will take part in a political round table, which will be attended by chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and possibly Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.
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