Mubarak: Palestinian State would be created by 2008
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 12/20/2004

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak said he is convinced that a Palestinian State would be created in the coming years.

He told the German weekly "Der Spiegel" "I see the year 2008, when the second term of US President George W. Bush ends, as the probable time frame."

In the interview with the German magazine published yesterday, Mubarak said he expected Israel's new coalition government to implement Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's planned withdrawal from Gaza Strip.

President Mubarak said "We would like the Americans to concentrate on solving the Middle East problem."

Mubarak added that he hopes tensions over Iran's nuclear program will not lead to a US attack on the country -a move that would be a mistake of catastrophic proportions."

"Terror and violence in the Middle East and shortly afterward in the whole world would then overshadow everything we have seen so far," he added.

"I hope it doesn't come to that."
As for the situation in Iraq, President Mubarak said the security problem in Iraq can never be solved by huge military campaigns which only nourish feelings of revenge and hatred, asserting that building up a new Iraqi army and police would help stabilize conditions in the country.

It is important that such units must be large in size and not just a few soldiers, he emphasized.

He pointed out that the Americans and their allies should leave Iraqi cities as the Iraqi soldiers and policemen alone could guarantee the security of residential areas; a job the Americans were unable to do.

Regarding the upcoming Iraqi elections, the President contended that all Iraqis should participate in the event, otherwise new problems would emerge.

He warned that if the Americans withdrew their soldiers now, catastrophic results would be seen and outrageous chaos would occur, referring to increasing terrorist attacks.

The situation in the entire region would be more like a bombshell and everyone would suffer, he further warned.

The Americans would not be able to leave Iraq unless the Iraqis were able to solve their security problems alone, he added.

He reiterated that Arab nations would not dispatch troops Iraq and the US president was well aware of this stance and realized how much the Arabs adhered to it.

As for statements by some American governors that stable democracy in Iraq would become a beacon of democracy spreading its light to the whole area, he said only light similar to moonlight would come out of this beacon as every society had its own history and religious and social features.

Asked by the magazine about his great contributions and efforts to revive the Middle East peace process and whether there were new developments following the death of President Yasser Arafat, President Mubarak said the Palestinians have formed their own leadership without any difficulties and they are now getting ready for the general elections next month.

Asked whether Arafat was considered an obstacle to peace as Israel and the US had always claimed, he replied in the negative, pointing out that Arafat was the only Palestinian citizen capable of persuading the masses to accept some of the decisive changes.

Had it not been for him, the Oslo agreement, for instance, would nave never been sanctioned as he enjoyed the necessary popularity.

As for a new peace initiative prepared by Egypt, he said it was only a call on the Palestinians to close ranks and set aside any differences, otherwise they would never accomplish anything.

Asked whether he believed that "the long-mistrusted" Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could turn, by withdrawing his army from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, into a peace advocate, Mubarak said taking into account the situation in Israel, there is no one but Sharon who is capable of taking such a bold step towards peace.

Considering the fact that many Likud members rejected the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, did he believe new coalition government formed by Likud and Labor parties would really take bold step towards peace, Mubarak said he believes that this could take place, pointing intention to move forward.

Everything indicates that the coalition government will carry out the withdrawal from Gaza, he said.

Answering a question on what would happen if Sharon withdraws from Gaza and some areas in the West Bank and did not move any further, Mubarak said Gaza is the first step in the enforcement of the roadmap, a plan approved not only by Israel and the Palestinians but also by the European Union and Russia.

Asked about the Beirut peace plan sanctioned by Arab heads of state and government in 2002 on normalizing relations with Israel in return for withdrawal till the borders of 1967 including Arab East Jerusalem, he said the Beirut plan has not lost its validity, pointing out that it was always difficult to negotiate with Israel as they negotiated about each and every meter and the Israelis by nature never give up anything easily.

When we reached a peace agreement with then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1978, Sharon, who was then a government member, strongly objected to restoring Sinai to Egypt but could not impose his opinion then and Egypt restored the land, he added.

He pointed out that thousands of settlers were in the Sinai peninsula and their settlements were evacuated in full before the land was handed over to Egypt. Believe me the Palestinians will get their rights, he said.

Asked about his call for tangible support for the Palestinians during his latest trips to Europe, he said he was successful in this respect, voicing belief that Europe could make its influence stronger.

He pointed out that his talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Garhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer were fruitful in this regard and his visit to Paris was likewise successful.

He voiced belief that after all these years of accumulated frustration an independent Palestinian state could be established some day by the year 2008 near the end of the second term of US President George W. Bush

ÊÊÊ Asked about some claims on exercising pressure on some Arab countries to engage in negotiations with Israel, Mubarak said no country accepts political pressures, adding that he sometimes gives advice at times depending on the political developments with the aim of reaching peace.

Concerning the advice he gave Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, he said they talked about security issues, voicing belief that Syria is trying to change its policy but needs some time.

Asked what he expected of President Bush, he said he is a friend. It is better to let him talk about what he intends to do, he said, pointing out that the Americans should concentrate their efforts on resolving the Middle East problem otherwise a wave of terror and revenge would emerge.

As for his warning in Der Spiegel magazine only three weeks before the US-led attack on Iraq that such war would lead to a catastrophe and create hundreds like Osama Bin Laden, which has proven correct, he said he hoped he would have been mistaken.

As for what should be done to realize stability in Iraq, he said the swift building of a new army and police would secure stable conditions in Iraq.

It is necessary that the units concerned are large in number and not just a few soldiers, he said, pointing out that Egypt is helping the Iraqis in this regard along with the Jordanians.

He pointed out to the training of Iraqis by Germans in the UAE as well.

Asked if the new training units should fight rebels in Fallujah or Mosul along with the American Marines, he said, they should only supervise and the Americans and their allies have to leave the cities.

Overpopulated areas cannot be secured except by Iraqi soldiers and policemen as the Americans are simply in a situation that makes them unable to do so.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian papers and ME Peace Process   (12/3/2004)
  Mrs. Mubarak on Women's Movement for Peace conference   (11/26/2004)
  Egypt hosts 1st conf. for Human Rights Councils in the Arab states   (11/18/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search