Maher accuses Israeli army of involvement in terrorist acts against civilians
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 9/27/2003

Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher accused the Israeli army Friday of involvement in anti-Palestinian terrorist activities on the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

During a meeting with members of the US Foreign Relations Council, Maher said Israel blames the Palestinian Authority for attacks perpetrated by groups which are not linked to the PA, while the Israeli army, in the meantime and at the official level, targets Palestinian civilians.

On the pretext of hunting down anti-Israeli elements, Israel targets civilian targets and kills innocent Palestinian, said Maher.

Every time Israeli Apache helicopter gunships target a car or a person, innocent victims fall, he reiterated.

The US public opinion should not continue to be Israeli- biased and begin to put into consideration the Palestinian people's sufferings, the Egyptian Foreign Minister said Friday.

At his meeting with members of the American Foreign Relations Council, Maher underlined that Egypt has repeatedly denounced the attacks against Israeli civilians, but the whole world should now take similar stances once Palestinian civilians are killed at the hands of Israeli soldiers.

The Israelis have innocent Palestinian blood on their hands, however, they continue to claim that the Palestinians are killers, Maher said.

As for the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement of Hamas, Maher said the movement is currently witnessing a change and pursuing efforts to act as part of political powers.

Hamas respected the ceasefire which was later broken due to continued Israeli provocations, he added.

The Egyptian top diplomat unveiled that efforts are under way to help forge a new and durable Palestinian-Israeli ceasefire agreement.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat will continue to be a part and parcel of any effort to settle the Palestinian crisis, not part of the problem as some parties propagate, the Egyptian Foreign Minister said.

Maher branded as unacceptable the move to blame the Palestinian side for any deterioration in the region.

The separation wall, being built by the Israeli government on the West Bank is similar to Berlin's and is inconsistent either with the idea of peaceful co-existence or any intentions for peace, Maher said.

It will never help the Israelis in achieving their hoped-for security, he reiterated.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Baz stresses the need of Israel's pullout from Arab lands   (8/26/2003)
  Asking Cairo to release spy Azzam; Egypt rejects Sharon's statements on its role over the peace process   (8/5/2003)
  Al-Baz calls on Israel to stop nuclear program   (8/5/2003)

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