Palestinians lauds role played by Egypt, Mubarak in Middle East

Egypt, under the leadership of President Hosni Mubarak, is exerting all possible efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories so as to create a Palestinian state on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital, the Palestinian Authority said on Thursday.

Egypt is doing its best to halt the Israeli aggression and implement international legitimacy resolutions, Palestinian Minister of Local government and Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat said in statements to MENA.

Wednesday's meeting between Mubarak and Israeli Defence Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer in Sharm El-Sheikh was part of those efforts, Erekat said.

Mubarak is exerting sincere efforts and is making use of Egypt's high potentials and regional and international status with the US and the European Union to stop the Israeli incursions, the PA official said.

Meanwhile, Erekat rejected the US policy towards the PA and Arafat, calling on Washington to take over its responsibility as a peace sponsor.

On statements by Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon that he regretted the Israelis did not kill Arafat in 1982, Erekat said the remarks meant that Sharon was trying to "do it now".

The statements "demonstrate the mentality of a mafioso or a guerrilla man not a prime minster," he added.