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Mubarak tells Netanyahu :
Act on peace chance
US: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak urged Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday to make good on his vow to forge
peace with the Palestinians and reiterated a plea for Israel to halt
settlement activity.
On the eve of yesterday’s first direct Israeli-Palestinian talks in
20 months in Washington, Mubarak said the Israelis should “seize the
current opportunity” and “not let it slip through your fingers.”
He was speaking at a press conference at the White House to launch
the negotiations alongside US President Barack Obama, Netanyahu,
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
“I urge Israel to reach out to the Arab hand extended for peace,”
said Mubarak. “Israel should totally halt settlement activity until the
peace process comes to a conclusion.”
The Palestinians say that a renewal of settlement activities after
September 26, when a 10-month partial moratorium expires, would end the
negotiations.
The settlements house about 500,000 people on lands occupied by
Israel in 1967.
Netanyahu faces pressure from his Likud party to continue settlement
construction.
The Egyptian leader noted that he had met Netanyahu many times and
said he looked forward to him making good on his repeated assertions
that he wanted to forge a “long awaited peace” which Israelis yearned
for.
Washington, Thursday, AFP |
