Israel's deeds run counter to words
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 4/30/2001

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa stressed late Sunday that Israeli actions contradict with Israeli statements.

"Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres reported earlier today that there were contacts with the Palestinians to ceasefire for a while during which Israel would withdraw its forces to their previous posts," said Moussa.

"Peres also said that within few weeks the Palestinians and Israelis would agree on resuming official negotiations, that things were progressing and that measures are being taken to facilitate life for the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank," he added.

"Contacting Palestinian President Yasser Arafat late Sunday, he made it clear that none of this had been put into effect, and that the measures talked about by Peres were not enforced, that shooting was still going on, that Israeli aggression on Khan Yunis is still rampant and that the blockade is still in effect. According to President Arafat, the measures Peres promised to take were not enforced ," said Moussa.

Israeli actions contradict with Israeli statements, said Moussa, asserting there was something wrong in informing Egypt.

Optimism cannot be built on words but rather on actions, said the Foreign Minister.

On the issue of settlements and Israeli reservations about the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative, Moussa said the Egyptian stance on settlements is crystal clear.

Egypt can not accept the Israeli viewpoint based on announcing its intention not to build new settlements while reserving the right to expand established ones to allegedly absorb the natural increase in population, he said, adding that these are more Israeli pretexts to dodge a non-settlement building pledge.

As regards the timetable, things must be specific, said Moussa, adding that Egypt cannot accept open-ended negotiations.

Asked on Israeli premier Ariel Sharon's rejection of all agreements reached in Camp David and Taba and that such agreements are not binding because they were not signed, Moussa said that though Sharon's Commitment to Oslo, Wye River and Sharm El-Sheikh is announced but unclear, Egypt listened to the desire to abide by these agreements and pave the way for political talks.

Moussa spelled out astonishment that what has been said was not enforced on the ground but rather there was a misinterpretation of Peres's statement as manifested by statements made by Peres himself upon returning to Tel Aviv, said Moussa.

Peres made contradictory statements in Jordan to those he made in Cairo earlier in the day, said the Foreign Minister, asserting that the whole thing puts in question the credibility of information passed to Egypt by the Israeli side.

Moussa said he listened to Peres's ideas on the Egyptian Jordanian proposals and told him Egypt can not respond until after consulting with Jordan and the Palestinians. He asserted that there is, so far, no Israeli peace proposal but only a joint Egyptian-Jordanian one.

On whether every one is moving in a vicious circle and contacts are pointless, Moussa said reaching that point after the current round of talks is possible because, indeed, talks are unfruitful and pointless. If some statements indicate progress, policies, actions and practices on the ground debunk them, said the top diplomat.

Asked whether the US has begun taking serious steps in light of the joint Egyptian-Jordanian overture to shore up the situation, Moussa said Egypt is working to budge US towards a serious role.

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