ID :
27566
Thu, 10/30/2008 - 19:14
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/27566
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Israel apologises to Egypt
Jerusalem, Oct 30 (PTI) In a bid to avoid any diplomatic gaffe, Israel has apologised to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for the offensive statement made by a right-wing lawmaker who told him "to go to hell".
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of right-wing Israel Beiteinu party, during a memorial ceremony of slain Israeli leader Rehavam Zeevi, sharply criticised Israel's foreign policy which he said was too soft towards Egypt.
"Zeevi would have never put up with our concessions towards the Egyptians. Time and again we travelled to meet Mubarak in Egypt yet he has never agreed to come here for an official visit," Lieberman said at the special Knesset session.
"Any self respecting leader would have made these meetings subject to condition. He wants to talk to us, let him come here. He doesn't want to talk to us, he can go to hell," the right-wing leader had said.
Determined to avoid any confrontation with its strongest
strategic partner in the region, both President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologised to the Egyptian President for the vitriolic statement.
Olmert assured the Egyptian leader that he sees him as a 'close friend and a strategic ally' and that he sees the strengthening of Israel's relationship with Egypt as 'imperative'.
"Those words should never have been said. From the moment they were uttered those words were nothing but useless and harmful. Egypt and Mubarak are (Israel's) strategic partners," Olmert said.
Peres, who phoned Mubarak prior to Olmert, also expressed regrets over the "unfortunate" remarks.
"Israel has nothing but the utmost respect for President Mubarak and his country and for the important role they play in promoting peace in the Middle East," a statement issued from the President's office said, adding that he was confident that "one unfortunate statement cannot destroy such a longstanding relationship."
Egypt signed a historic peace treaty with Israel in 1978 and since then the political leadership of the two countries have maintained cordial relations.
The Arab country has also played the role of a mediator
between Israel and the Arab world during crisis with the
Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian factions.
The current truce between Islamic faction Hamas and
Israel was also reached under Egyptian mediation. PTI
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of right-wing Israel Beiteinu party, during a memorial ceremony of slain Israeli leader Rehavam Zeevi, sharply criticised Israel's foreign policy which he said was too soft towards Egypt.
"Zeevi would have never put up with our concessions towards the Egyptians. Time and again we travelled to meet Mubarak in Egypt yet he has never agreed to come here for an official visit," Lieberman said at the special Knesset session.
"Any self respecting leader would have made these meetings subject to condition. He wants to talk to us, let him come here. He doesn't want to talk to us, he can go to hell," the right-wing leader had said.
Determined to avoid any confrontation with its strongest
strategic partner in the region, both President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert apologised to the Egyptian President for the vitriolic statement.
Olmert assured the Egyptian leader that he sees him as a 'close friend and a strategic ally' and that he sees the strengthening of Israel's relationship with Egypt as 'imperative'.
"Those words should never have been said. From the moment they were uttered those words were nothing but useless and harmful. Egypt and Mubarak are (Israel's) strategic partners," Olmert said.
Peres, who phoned Mubarak prior to Olmert, also expressed regrets over the "unfortunate" remarks.
"Israel has nothing but the utmost respect for President Mubarak and his country and for the important role they play in promoting peace in the Middle East," a statement issued from the President's office said, adding that he was confident that "one unfortunate statement cannot destroy such a longstanding relationship."
Egypt signed a historic peace treaty with Israel in 1978 and since then the political leadership of the two countries have maintained cordial relations.
The Arab country has also played the role of a mediator
between Israel and the Arab world during crisis with the
Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian factions.
The current truce between Islamic faction Hamas and
Israel was also reached under Egyptian mediation. PTI
