Jerusalem - Deep in conflict with its erstwhile Palestinian peace partners, Israel is now embroiled in a dispute with its most important Arab ally, Egypt, reports David Horovitz. And the focus of the argument, ironically, is the attempt to broker a ceasefire and end seven months of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities.
The row, which could prove only a trifling irritant but could equally develop into something more troubling, began on Sunday, when Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, cosponsor with Jordan's King Abdullah of a proposal for quelling the violence, came out of a meeting with Israel's Foreign Minister, Mr Shimon Peres, to announce that "both sides" had agreed ceasefire terms, and that they would resume peace negotiations after a four-week test period. But as Israeli and Palestinians leaders immediately rushed to clarify, no such deal had been reached.
Evidently embarrassed to have misinformed the media, Mr Mubarak yesterday rounded on Mr Peres and accused him of misleading him. In a televised address marking Egypt's Labour Day, he was adamant that Mr Peres's delegation "told us that they met with two Palestinian officials, and agreed on the principles to halt all kinds of violence".
"I was surprised to hear from [the Palestinian Authority President Yasser] Arafat that there has been no agreement," Mr Mubarak said. "They [the Israeli delegation] have played tricks with me so that I give a statement saying they reached an agreement." Mr Peres, who stressed yesterday that the search for ceasefire terms goes on, is now visiting the US.