Consultations continue while the picture on the ground grows more grim, reports Nevine Khalil President Hosni Mubarak is scheduled to meet today with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris, to discuss the volatile situation in the Middle East. On Friday, he will be in Madrid -- the birth place of the peace process -- for meetings with Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and King Juan Carlos. Ahead of his talks with European leaders, Mubarak consulted with several Arab leaders throughout the week, including Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Al-Nahyan, Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal. The top Saudi diplomat was in Cairo hours after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered a raid on Gaza City, which killed 15 civilians, including nine children, a Hamas leader and his bodyguard. Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher denounced Israel's raid on Monday, describing it as a "war crime" because it targeted civilian areas. "Bombing a civilian building, cannot be [done] without knowing previously that the victims would be civilians," Maher argued. Maher's Saudi counterpart reiterated the same. "It is a horrible act which will go down in history against Sharon. It has no ethical, moral or even military justification," said Al-Faisal. Cairo and Riyad demanded punishment and swift US action to stop such acts from reoccurring. "We call for severe punishment for these crimes committed against Palestinian people," demanded Al-Faisal, while Maher said that "the international community, and the United States in particular, should not keep silent. I call on [the US] to denounce this act and take the necessary measures to stop these attacks." Al-Faisal added that the "Arabs are now taking things into their own hands because they can't rely on others to solve their issues," but he did not elaborate. "The catastrophe caused by Israel in the occupied territories will lead to more atrocities than we've seen until now," he added. According to Al-Faisal, there will be cooperation between the Arab peace initiative follow-up committee and the diplomatic Quartet made up of top US, Russian, EU and UN officials charged with restoring the peace process. Meanwhile on Sunday, Gaddafi arrived in Cairo for a three-day visit and discussed the situation in the Middle East with Mubarak. As tensions rose in the Palestinian territories, the two men reviewed contacts and efforts made to contain the confrontation between the Palestinians and Israelis. Mubarak, who had travelled to Switzerland last Friday to meet with King Fahd and Sheikh Zayed, told reporters that the Palestinians and Israelis need to act "wisely and rationally" in order to overcome the current crisis. Mubarak made his statements before heading back to Cairo on Saturday. "If we are looking for security, then the current explosive situation will not lead us there," he said, "but rather it will cause more bombing operations." Mubarak noted that deciding on a timeline or creating a mechanism for establishing a Palestinian state would "give very positive signs". The president was encouraged by the talks which had just concluded in Washington between US President George W Bush and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. "I'm optimistic with the outcome of those talks," he said. In his Golden Jubilee address, commemorating the 23 July Revolution, Mubarak said on Monday that despite the current obstacles facing the peace process, "the peace which the people are aspiring for is still possible, if we think rationally." He added that the "despair" which the Palestinian people feel "must be replaced with hope". Mubarak urged the Israeli people not to pass a "historic" opportunity to make peace, "All that the Arab countries want is peace and normal relations, on the basis of international law and Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands," he stressed. "Israel's occupation of Arab lands fans hatred, encourages the fanatics and stifles the efforts of the moderates." Mubarak counseled Tel Aviv to immediately ease the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people and relaunch negotiations, adding that it would "gain nothing" by calling for the removal of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. "Israel must understand that the creation of an independent Palestinian state is the surest guarantee of peace, security and stability," said Mubarak in his speech.
