Egypt rejects Israeli plea to act as moderator with Arab states

Jordan Times, Friday April 22, 2005

JAKARTA (AFP) — Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Thursday said his country would reject a plea by Israel to encourage Arab countries to establish normal ties the Jewish state. Gheit said it was down to individual governments whether they would seize the peace initiative ahead of Israel's pullout from the Gaza strip, but stressed this would be dependent on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Speaking after a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirayuda in Jakarta, where he is attending a summit of Asian and African ministers, Gheit told reporters that the ball was entirely in Israel's court.

“We tell them we have an Arab plan, an Arab initiative that calls for land for peace,” he said.

“If Israel withdraws from the occupied territories, and there is a Palestinian state, the Arab countries are ready to engage with Israel in normal relations.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom earlier this month urged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to use his influence over Arab countries, amid improved ties between Egypt and Israel since a February peace summit hosted by Mubarak.

Shalom also called for “a new roadmap to promote the relations between Arabs and Israel.”

Gheit dismissed the “roadmap” as unnecessary in the face of Arab nations' own plans for Palestinian self-rule.

“When the Israeli foreign minister came to Cairo last week, he offered a plan, a new roadmap to establish relations with the Arab world.

“Our response was, `the initiative is there, it is land for peace and each and every Arab country will decide for herself according to the Arab initiative'.”