Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher vowed late Monday that his assault by Palestinian youths during a visit to Al Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem earlier in the day would not affect his country's involvement in the peace process. Upon arriving back in Cairo, Maher said that the attack would simply spur Egypt to forge an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
Two top Israeli doctors accompanied Maher, who was lightly injured in the incident, on the flight back home.
Seven Palestinian were arrested following Maher's assault.
Both the Palestinian Authority and the Egyptian government have denounced the incident, both expressing their deepest feelings of regret for what happened. On its part, the office of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak issued a statement denouncing the "irresponsible" act, pledging that it "will not derail Egypt's efforts to achieve a resumption of Palestinian-Israeli talks, with the effective participation of other peace-loving partners."
"We are working so the Palestinian people can regain their rights and achieve peace and sovereignty and establish a Palestinian state," Maher said upon his return to Cairo. "[The attack] is a passing matter that doesn't affect the essence of the Egyptian policy. Nothing will change that."
Speaking to Al Bawaba, Palestinian minister of communication and technology, Azzam Al Ahmad, voiced his condemnation, saying “this action is totally refused.” He also lashed out against Israeli authorities, blaming them for what happened and accusing them of being behind the act, “it’s highly unlikely that any Palestinian party could be responsible for what happened.”
“This action does not serve anyone except Israel; the incident took place in an area that is not under the Palestinian Authority’s control. No sane Palestinian or Palestinian faction would do such a thing to an Egyptian official,” Ahmad added.
An official in the Islamic Jihad - Nafez Azzam – also spoke against the incident telling Al Bawaba “his movement feels regret for what happened to Maher.” He also added that “even if there was opposition to Maher’s visit, this was not the right way or the place to express it.”
Hamas has also denounced the incident. Sa’eed Siam, a prominent leader in Hamas, told Al Bawaba that it was very regretful that this was carried out by Palestinians. “We denounce and condemn such actions, especially as it was done in the Al Alqsa mosque. We consider Egypt a strong ally in our struggle,” Siam concluded.
Meanwhile, the Waqf (Muslim religious trust) on Tuesday blamed Israel for the incident, after interfering in the minister’s program. Waqf's chief executive, Adnan al Husseini told Israel Radio on Tuesday, “unfortunately as always, the Israeli police and the Israeli security, always try to be involved in everything, to show that they have the sovereignty of the place.”
He said that the minister was planned to come to the mosque at 2.45 P.M., but only arrived at 4.45 P.M., entering through the Mugrabi Gate, which is generally an access route for non-Muslims, rather than the Lion’s Gate as planned. He said that this created many difficulties for the people who wished to greet him.
Husseini said that the fact that Maher entered the mount from the opposite side disrupted the Waqf’s step-by-step secured plan for his visit. “When it [the visit] starts from the other side,” he said, “it was unsecured.” He accused Israel of creating problems for themselves and the Waqf by “always having to be involved.”
Husseini said that numerous Waqf representatives were due to meet the minister at the northern Lion’s Gate, adding that “we know that the police know about that. From the very beginning, they speak about that side.” He said that the delegation had to walk some 800 meters to the other side to greet Maher when he came in from the southern Mugrabi Gate. He said that Israel wanted to prove that it has sovereignty over the Temple Mount, “but they will never have any sovereignty on the place, this is an Islamic place and it will continue to be an Islamic place.”
He said that it was a few, “crazy” people who attacked the Egyptin minister. He claimed that they simply wished to speak with Maher, but that the manner in which they tried to do this was disrespectful.
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
