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Mubarak Mediates Between Israel And Lebanon
By DAVID BEDEIN, Middle East Correspondent
Jerusalem — On Thursday, in a one-on-one meeting at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, set at very short notice, Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak reassured Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that Israel “has no intention of attacking Lebanon or Syria.”
A Leading news analyst, Dr. Guy Bechor, says that the Lebanese government and politicians had been suffering from a “severe bout of paranoia, perhaps even panic, and they were convinced that the Israel Defence Forces is about to attack them at any moment.” Dr. Bechor posits that they feel the situation is identical to the one that existed on the eve of the 1982 war. Dr. Bechor also notes, however, that the IDF’s advanced and upgraded training on the Lebanese border is doubly important because it “facilitates enormous readiness for war and it also deters.”
Mr. Mubarak was also worried: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had visited Cairo on Tuesday and voiced his concern to the president of an imminent Israeli strike against Lebanon.
The reassuring Israeli statements in the past week aimed at Syria and Lebanon did not succeed in calming the leaders of these states.
The Israel defense minister say officials in Jerusalem assuaged the fears of the Egyptian president. Those officials say Mr. Barak hopes that the reassuring message he conveyed to Mr. Mubarak will also reach the ears of the Lebanese prime minister and the Syrian president.
The Defense Ministry refused to confirm or deny that one of the issues discussed with the Egyptian president was that of the tension in the north.
Mr. Barak was accompanied by Attorney Yitzhak Molcho, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s envoy, to the talks with the Palestinians. Israel and Egypt are both partners to the effort of persuading the Palestinian Authority to return to the negotiating table.
The latest proposals raised by U.S. Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell were also discussed in the meeting. These proposals include launching low-level talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr. Mubarak asked Israel to make gestures towards Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas Mazen in order to motivate him to enter the talks. Mr. Barak said that such gestures would only be made if the Palestinian Authority would agree to resume negotiations.
David Bedein can be reached at bedein@thebulletin.us.
A Leading news analyst, Dr. Guy Bechor, says that the Lebanese government and politicians had been suffering from a “severe bout of paranoia, perhaps even panic, and they were convinced that the Israel Defence Forces is about to attack them at any moment.” Dr. Bechor posits that they feel the situation is identical to the one that existed on the eve of the 1982 war. Dr. Bechor also notes, however, that the IDF’s advanced and upgraded training on the Lebanese border is doubly important because it “facilitates enormous readiness for war and it also deters.”
Mr. Mubarak was also worried: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had visited Cairo on Tuesday and voiced his concern to the president of an imminent Israeli strike against Lebanon.
The reassuring Israeli statements in the past week aimed at Syria and Lebanon did not succeed in calming the leaders of these states.
The Israel defense minister say officials in Jerusalem assuaged the fears of the Egyptian president. Those officials say Mr. Barak hopes that the reassuring message he conveyed to Mr. Mubarak will also reach the ears of the Lebanese prime minister and the Syrian president.
The Defense Ministry refused to confirm or deny that one of the issues discussed with the Egyptian president was that of the tension in the north.
Mr. Barak was accompanied by Attorney Yitzhak Molcho, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s envoy, to the talks with the Palestinians. Israel and Egypt are both partners to the effort of persuading the Palestinian Authority to return to the negotiating table.
The latest proposals raised by U.S. Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell were also discussed in the meeting. These proposals include launching low-level talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr. Mubarak asked Israel to make gestures towards Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas Mazen in order to motivate him to enter the talks. Mr. Barak said that such gestures would only be made if the Palestinian Authority would agree to resume negotiations.
David Bedein can be reached at bedein@thebulletin.us.
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