Mubarak congratulates Katsav on the foundation of Israel

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt yesterday extended a message of congratulations to his Israeli counterpart Moshe Katsav on the occasion of Israel's celebration of its foundation, which falls today according to the Hebrew Calendar.

The spokesman for the Israeli presidency Adar Avisar said " It is the first time since several year in which the Egyptian president sends such a message." He explained that Mubarak called in his message for "further cooperation between the two countries in order to reach a peaceful settlement on the ground of establishing a Palestinian state next to Israel, and Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories since 1967." Avisar added that Mubarak wished "peace, stability and security for all peoples of the region," especially the people of Israel.

Egypt, which was the first Arab states to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979 summoned its ambassador in Tel Aviv in October 2000 few weeks after the beginning of the 2nd Palestinian Intifada, in protest of "Israel's overuse of force" by the Israeli army. Since then, the Egyptian ambassador had not assumed his post, but Egypt has not severed its relations with Israel.

Today and tomorrow Israel celebrates its 55th foundation anniversary on May 14, 1948.