CAIRO Ñ Egypt has rejected calls for a holy war by its Middle East rivals, asserting that the Arab world is prepared neither to fight nor finance a war against Israel.

Arab diplomatic sources said Egypt has relayed messages to several Arab countries that Cairo will not mobilize troops or call for volunteers to join such a war against Israel. The nations so notified include Syria, Iraq, Sudan and Yemen, Middle East Newsline reported.

"Those who strive to push Egypt to make ill-considered moves must know that Egypt will maintain its well-conceived and rational policies," Samir Ragab, an editor regarded as close to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, said. "That said, it must be clear that the Egyptian army will not be reduced to that of an army of mercenaries. It is a national army through and through."

"No war can be fought without enormous economic support," Ragab said in the Al Gumhuriya daily. "Is anyone ready to pay a single penny of the bill? Palestinian fighters themselves have been complaining that they have not had access to financial aid for months, despite their repeated calls and contacts, particularly to wealthy Arabs."

The Egyptian message was especially meant for Syria, the sources said. Mubarak is said to have blamed Syria for dragging Egypt into the 1967 war and nearly sparking a conflict with Israel in 1997. In 1997, the sources said, Syria told Egypt that Israeli forces were gathering along the Sinai Peninsula.

In an article that appeared in several state-owned Egyptian dailies, Ragab dismissed calls for an Arab effort to mobilize forces in support of the Palestinians. He said the Arab League joint defense pact combines security with economic cooperation.

The diplomatic sources said Egypt has been at odds with several Arab League members amid the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian war. They said Cairo has protested the anti-Egyptian demonstrations in Damascus and Beirut and the state-owned Egyptian media have challenged Syria to attack Israel from the Golan Heights.

At the same time, Egyptian Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi continued his series of high-profile meetings with military commanders. Over the weekend, Tantawi met with officers and soldiers deployed in the northern and western military zones.

The official Middle East News Agency reported that Tantawi briefed the military on the "latest developments in the region. He reiterated the keenness of the armed forces General Command on everything required to improve the performance of the armed forces to guarantee the highest level of combat readiness."

Tantawi was said to have expressed concern over Israel's military campaign in the West Bank and its affect on regional stability. The minister said President Hosni Mubarak is working endlessly to "suppress the negative repercussions" of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Print this Article

Email this article

Free Headline Alerts