Egypt warns U.S. that Israeli offensive could spark regional war
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Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, December 7, 2001
CAIRO Ñ Egypt has warned the United States that the Israeli military
offensive against the Palestinian Authority could spread into a
confrontation with the Arab world.
The warning came as Egyptian defense chiefs asserted that the military
is prepared for any slide into regional war.
Egyptian diplomats and government-aligned analysts said President Hosni
Mubarak has told Washington it will not tolerate the Israeli destruction of
the regime of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. The diplomats said Mubarak has
repeatedly pledged to Arafat that the Egyptian president would preserve the
PA.
Mubarak spoke by telephone with Bush on Thursday and called for an end
to the Israeli military campaign. Earlier, Mubarak warned in an interview
with the Beirut-based A-Safir that Israel would be the main victim of any
regional conflict.
At the same time, Egypt's defense chiefs said the nation is prepared for
war. "The recent developments require the Egyptian armed forces to preserve
a high level of preparedness and readiness to confront any challenge and
threat," Egyptian Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi said.
Analysts said Egypt has bolstered its military to prepare for any
contingency. They said the Egyptian strategy is to respond rapidly to any
Israeli attack that could threaten the Sinai Peninsula.
Maj. Gen. Ahmed Abdul Halim, deputy director of the Middle East Studies
Center, said Egypt has changed its defense concepts to ensure protection of
both the Sinai as well as strategic installations west of the country. This
includes the High Dam.
"Egyptian policies center on peace as a strategic choice, which depends
on the practices of the other side," Abdul Halim said. "Sinai is very
effective in Egyptian national security which starts in Palestinian
territories."
On Thursday, Maher held talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders
Maher, whose talks with Israel was marked with disagreement, said his
mission was to save the region from sliding toward war.
"We have expressed our opinion that these [Israeli military] actions are
certainly not helpful, that we have to get the parties to talk, and in order
to help the parties to talk we have to break the cycle of violence," Maher
said.
An Arab ministerial committee will hold an emergency meeting in Cairo on
Sunday to discuss the Israeli military strikes on the PA. Jordan has
requested the meeting.
Arab League secretary-general Amr Mussa warned that any Israeli attack
on the Palestinian leadership spark a counteroffensive. Mussa said PA
Chairman Yasser Arafat has the right to attack Israel.
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