President Shimon Peres has heaped praised on embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Opponents might use the tributes as a two-edged sword against the ageing ruler they are trying to depose.
Although Mubarak has refused to visit Jerusalem and has sponsored incitement against Israel, he won nothing but compliments from President Peres Saturday night. President Peres warned that an Egypt led by the Muslim Brotherhood will be far worse than Mubarak, whose “cold peace” with Israel has left Israeli nationalists questioning whether “with friends like this, who need enemies.”
Speaking Saturday night to the pro-Israel European Friends of Israel (EFI) policy conference in Jerusalem, the President declared, "In spite of all the attacks against President Mubarak, I know him for many years, throughout his presidency, and I accredit him as one of the persons who saved many lives by preventing war in the Middle East, who saved lives of Egyptians, of Arabs, of Israelis, by not allowing renewed war.
"Elections in Egypt are dangerous. Should the Muslim Brotherhood be elected they will not bring peace. Democracy without peace is not a democracy. We fear there will be a change in government without a change in the circumstances which led to this state," the President added.
Approximately 400 European Union national parliamentarians are attending the three-day EFI conference, which will include meetings with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
The European Friends of Israel organization was established in 2006 by European parliamentarians with the aim of "forging a stronger political relationship and a deeper understanding between Europe and Israel."
President Peres’ message, in diplomatic words, in effect was that Mubarak now looks like a friend to Israel compared with what might follow his regime. “No matter what criticism there is now against him, his contribution for peace, as far as I’m concerned, will never be forgotten,” he said.
Criticism has not been lacking. With the exception of attending the funeral of murdered former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Mubarak has steadfastly refused to visit Jerusalem, an act that might be considered as recognizing the entire city as the capital of the Jewish state.
It is widely agreed that despite Egypt’s anti-Israel and anti-Jewish positions, which have included frequent delays in caring for Israeli tourists wounded in terrorist attacks, Cairo has not "crossed the line” because of massive economic and military aid it receives from the United States.