El-Baz: Israeli decision to close Orient House offices foreruns danger

The Egyptian president's advisor for political affairs, Osama El-Baz, described the decision of the Israeli government to close several offices in the Palestinian Orient House in East Jerusalem as wrong and warned of escalating danger and more strain on the peace process.

El-Baz stated that Egypt sees no political or legal basis for this decision and considers it as not done.

Concerning postponement of the visit of former Israeli defense minister and leader of center party, Yitzhak Mordechai, to Cairo, El-Baz said the reason for the postponement relates to the special commitments of Mordechai, which prevented him from making the visit. He said there were no political reasons for the delay.

He also stated that Egypt is ready, as President Mubarak confirmed, to receive any Israeli politician who seeks to present his point of view and express his desire to understand the issues obstructing the peace process on different levels.