A recent interview with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has had its desired effect on the Israelis, according to the Jewish state's foreign minister, Shimon Peres.
The interview was conducted last week by Israel's Channel 2.
Peres was quoted by Al Gumhouriyyah as telling the Yediot Aharonot Hebrew daily that to his “amazement,” he had noticed that a remarkable number of the Israeli right wingers had begun to accept the idea of removing the Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank after Mubarak’s remarks, in which the president blamed Israel for the ongoing violence in the Occupied Territories.
Peres admitted that there was a kind of paradox in Israeli society “which wants a leftist policy and a rightist government at the same time.”
The FM added that the reason why he was still a cabinet member was that he still had hopes that the conflict could be solved by peaceful means.
Reports of the foreign minister’s intention to quit Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s coalition government have been in the headlines lately.
Peres, who differs with Sharon over the government's approach to handling the conflict with the latest Palestinian revolt against 34 years of military occupation, will hold talks with the premier this week “in order to sustain the national unity government.”
According to an Israeli poll published on Friday, 70 percent of those surveyed said they did not trust Sharon to bring about a state of security – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
