Israel blamed for unrest in Palestinian lands
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 4/2/2001

Egyptian Presidential Political Advisor Osama El-baz held the Israeli side responsible for violent acts taking place in the Palestinian territories.

Speaking to the Middle East News Agency (MENA) on Saturday, he pointed out that Israel is the side that triggered off violence through the provocative visits that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon paid to Al-Aqsa mosque ground on September 28 last year.

"The excessive use of force and insistence on escalating violence by Israel far exceeded the level demonstration that began in the wake of such visit," he said.

"The matter has not entered a vicious circle with each party throwing the plane on the other," he said.

"To come out of this dark tunnel, the Palestinian and Israeli sides should pledge to implement the memo they reached in Sharm El-Sheikh, something which requires definite steps by Israel," he said. It is not possible that Palestinians should bear the brunt alone, he added.

Baz expressed his belief that the US administration has not yet forged its position towards several issues including the peace march in the Middle East.

He hoped talks to be held by President Hosni Mubarak and king Abdullah II of Jordan with President GeorgeW. Bush would help clarify matters before the US leadership, administration and the American public opinion too.

"During his visit, Mubarak will meet with a number of American media men and representatives of some Arab and Jewish organizations," he said.

Asked on his impression about the new US administration's policy towards the Middle East especially after having visited the US.

Baz told MENA that Washington had not yet settled on its positions towards many foreign policy issues, among them the Middle East.

"It does not want to make any hasty judgements but wants to shape its policy and reach a position gradually and slowly," he said.

"Egypt is not against this, on grounds that it is a new administration that wants to pull together a comprehensive view towards specific issues and maybe restructure its list of priorities," he added.

"Certainly, when it is over with this search, the bush administration will reach and settle on a new approach for dealing with the grave and urgent issue of the Middle East," he said.

It is impossible to postpone or shelve the Middle East issue, a problem that has extended over more than half a century, triggered four wars, caused the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and sparked off all the ongoing violence in Palestinian lands, he added.

"Such a dilemma cannot be placed low on the American administration's list of priorities; it is an explosive situation with repercussions on the US interests and image in the region," he added.

Asked on the significance of the timing of Mubarak-Chirac summit before the Egyptian President's visit to Washington, Baz said Egypt attaches special importance to the European policy towards 'the issues of concern to us and of concern to all countries in the region.

"It is in the light of this that Egypt has an interest in the key European parties and specifically France as being the main one," he added.

"France's interest in the Middle East is longstanding, especially with its peace process and it has maintained the same level of interest under all circumstances," he said.

"The goal of President Mubarak's visit to France is to brief the French president on the Arab view and the results of the Amman Arab summit and how to move forward on the peace process and direct it out of the dark tunnel," he added the Israeli policies and the eruption of violence have taken it to," he added.

"Israel claims that it would be unrealistic for Palestinians and Israelis to resume negotiations from where they left off; it refuses to resume final status negotiations and says it would rather embark on the transitional phase negotiations for seven years," he said.

"These claims and ideas run totally counter to the Oslo principles and to the understanding on which the peace process was built," he added.

"It is thus imperative to brief and acquaint the effective international forces, foremost the US, the EU and France, with its unshakable and sustained interest in the region's issues and situation, on the latest developments and conditions," he said.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt calls for the protection of civilians in the occupied land   (3/31/2001)
  Moussa: Arabs, shoulder a collective responsibility to ensure the success of Amman summit   (3/24/2001)
  Mubarak inaugurates Arab Summit in Amman next Tuesday   (3/24/2001)

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