Egypt has criticized the speech that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave on Sunday. President Hosni Mubarak said Netanyahu's call for the recognition of Israel as a Jewish State aborts chances for peace. He added that any settlement in the Middle East must pass through Jerusalem.
Addressing the armed forces yesterday, Mubarak said that he has stressed to President Barack Obama and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the need to pick up the final status negotiations without delay. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossam Zaki said the vision of the Israeli Prime Minister is flawed and needs to be developed so as to meet the international and Arab efforts for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. He warned of the concept of land being a divine grant that should not be waived, as this kills any effort to achieve peace. The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States condemned the speech and said it would discuss it at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers this month. Ambassador Mohamed Subaih, Assistant Arab League Secretary-General for Palestine, said the league will take a unified stance during the meeting.
While the American administration welcomed the speech, the Israeli radio quoted the former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as saying that Netanyahu put more obstacles than his predecessors. The chief PLO negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat said the Palestinian Authority rejects the speech.
