Egypt backs Palestinians' quest for their rights
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher underlined that Egypt supports the Palestinian people's quest for thir rights and rejects any acts of aggressions on them.
In an Egyptian TV program, broadcast late Tuesday, Maher described the situation as very dangerous because the current Israeli government has not implemented commitments made by its predecessor but rather adopted an attitude that may foment more tension.
Egypt seeks to protect the Palestinians and support political actions for the Palestinians to restore their rights, he added.
Maher stressed that there are no discrepancies between the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative and the Mitchell Commission report. He considered the initiative as an attempt to end the current volatile situation.
Though the overture was widely accepted, Israel tried to abort it, said the foreign minister.
"Israel should stop settlement activities which are not only in violation of international law but also signed by the Israelis, the agreements, Maher said.
Asked about the European stance over the Mitchell report, Maher said that the European stance has got better and Europe participated in formulating the report recommendations.
He voiced belief that if the Palestinians are further frustrated they will never be blamed for their reaction.
Egypt regretted the Tel Aviv accident as it targeted civilians, said Maher. He added that the US had been focusing on the need to terminate what it termed as "violence, and it is entering a new phase for working to implement the Mitchell recommendations.
The US is seeking to implement the Mitchell report in full as one package, he added.
He described the current phase as too dangerous to afford any playing with words. He called on the Israeli Peace Now Movement to shoulder its responsibility and save the Israelis and Palestinians from violence.
Maher welcomed the coming visit by US State Secretary Colin Powell to the region. He said that the visit could be very useful".
President Hosni Mubarak is keen on protecting, backing and terminating anti-Palestinian practices, the top diplomat stressed.