Hawatemah shakes hands with Weizman in Jordan

The director general of the Israeli Presidency Ariel Shoumer said that the Israeli President Ezer Weizman shook hands with chairman of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Nayef Hawatemah, on the sidelines of King Hussein's funeral yesterday.

The two men exchanged words. Shoumer added on Monday in a statement in Amman to Israel Radio that when Hawatemah saw President Weizman, he approached him and extended his hand to shake hands, saying, "You are exerting great efforts for the sake of peace and you are making peace."

Shoumer indicated that President Weizman expressed readiness to meet "foes before friends until real reconciliation is maintained between the Israelis and the Palestinians."

Shoumer added that President Weizman was also ready to shake hands with President Hafez al-Assad if he has the chance to do so and every Arab leader who took part in the funeral ceremony.

Sources close to the Israeli prime minister criticized the Israeli president, saying that Weizman shook hands with a man whose hands shed the blood of Israelis.