Erekat: Cairo did not practice any pressure on us

Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian top negotiator, negated yesterday that Egypt practiced any pressures on the Palestinians to participate in Sharm El Sheikh summit.

In press declarations yesterday he assured that the Palestinian people appreciate and feel proud as well as grateful to the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the Egyptian people for supporting the Palestinian cause.

Samir Ragab, the chief in editor of the Egyptian daily newspaper Gomhoria - who is close to the decision makers in Egypt blamed the Palestinians for their accusation to the Egyptian president that he pressed on Arafat to participate in the summit.

He accused the Palestinians of getting used to "bite their supporting hand," denouncing the swear words which he said that some Palestinians addressed at Mubarak during the demonstrations.