Mubarak to Israel: 'Occupation' can't last forever
Egyptian president appeals to both sides of conflict, asks Palestinian people to 'give peace a chance'; Israeli security official: Attacks on Hamas to continue as long as rocket fire persists
"I say to Israel, that history does not tell us that the occupation will last forever," Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Tuesday night during the speech he gave in honor of the prophet Muhammad's birthday.
Mubarak added that "Egypt is continuing its efforts to achieve a lull in violence between Israeli and the Palestinians." He called on Israel to "lift the siege of Gaza, open the border crossings, ease the suffering of the citizens of the Palestinian territories, and enable the continuation of peace talks.
"Peace in the area cannot be achieved without an agreement on a just solution for the Palestinian problem," Mubarak added. Addressing Israel, he said: "Security for your people will not be achieved through collective punishment, aggressiveness, invasion, siege, blockades and the construction of settlements."
Mubarak claimed that a security concurrence should be reached swiftly and justly, resulting in an agreement between the two parties that will end the conflict and rush in a new era of cooperation.
"At the heart of the Palestinian problem is the termination of the occupation, which will end the suffering of the Palestinian people and help them to attain their legitimate ambitions of erecting an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Mubarak added. "I say to the Palestinian people – make this your first priority and unify your forces.
'Give peace a chance'
"Resistance is the right of every nation under siege," the Egyptian president continued, "however this right, like so many other armed political battles, has its balance of gain and loss. Give peace a chance and don't provide excuses for those who wish to evade the peace process."
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli security official told Ynet that "Israel will continue to operate against Hamas as long the as the rocket fire continues".
Also on Tuesday, the head of the Israeli Defense Ministry's military-political department, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad returned from a secret round of talks with top Egyptian officials, his second in the past two weeks, this despite the fact that Israel has denied negotiating a truce with Hamas.
The Defense Ministry has claimed that Gilad's meetings in Cairo are focusing on the breached border with Egypt along the Philadelphi corridor and the possible reopening of the Erez crossing on the Gaza-Israel border. Prime Minister Olmert said last week that "there are no negotiations, direct or indirect, with Hamas. Egypt does not have our authorization to conduct such talks."
However, the IDF's ground activity in Gaza has been limited as of late, and the past few days have seen a significant reduction in the Qassam rocket fire attacks on the Jewish state. The last Grad rocket attack on Israel took place on March 3.
Sources in Olmert's office have attributed the relative calm to the harsh blow Hamas suffered during operation "Warm Winter", but other Israeli and Arab sources say the lull is the result of indirect negotiations through Egyptian mediation.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed the existence of such a lull, and reported it to Jordan's King Abdullah during their meeting in Amman.
However, on Tuesday morning Israel received information that the head of Egyptian Intelligence, Omar Suleiman, postponed his visit, which was expected to take place this week. This is the third time Suleiman has put off his arrival, and a senior Egyptian official told London-based newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat that Suleiman based his decision on Israel's "lack of commitment to pursuing calm in the area".
