BBC: Egypt accuses Israel of timing it raids with Mubarak's visit to France
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 7/25/2002

The latest calculated and ill-timed Israeli raid on civilians in Gaza has cast its shadows on President Hosni Mubarak's current visit to France, Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said.

There has been a regression in the situation due to the Israeli brutal aggression on civilians, Maher told BBC Thursday in reference to the F-16 missile attack on a residential area in Gaza at dawn Tuesday that claimed the lives of 15 civilians, including women, children and a Hamas military leader, and wounded another 150.

The Israeli raid came at a time serious efforts were being exerted to calm matters and resume the peace process, among them the talks that were held in Washington and President Mubarak's talks with the various international and Arab parties, he said.

It was ill-timed and came after Palestinian groups had reached an agreement to stop attacks on civilians to give political and peaceful efforts a chance to succeed, he added.

This agreement was to be declared the same day of the raid, which means that its timing was not a mere coincidence, but a calculated step in an Israeli scheme to block the road to any peace settlement, he said.

Diplomatic efforts aiming at the region's stability must continue, together with the Palestinian peoples' efforts to restore their rights and establish their independent state, he added.

The international community must not lend Israel the opportunity to continue such foolish policies that harm the Israeli people and the nations of the region, he said.

Previous Stories:
  This region has seen many wars and nobody wants more wars, Mubarak   (7/24/2002)
  Egypt will not be subject to pressures by any country   (7/22/2002)
  Ben Eliezer statements after meeting Mubarak   (7/17/2002)

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