In an interview with the Gulf-based satellite news station Al-Jazeera on Monday, Nabil Sha’ath, foreign affairs representative for the Palestinian Authority, insinuated that the attack by Arab worshippers on Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on the Temple Mount was the product of instigation by Israel.
At first, Sha’ath told the Al-Jazeera interviewer that "we are not completely certain about who is behind this incident, or what their objectives are, or what kind of message they wish to convey." However, when asked if he believed that "such behavior is nothing else other than expressing discouragement and despair about what is taking place," Sha’ath provided answered: "I am not convinced that this is the correct interpretation. Theoretically, this interpretation could be the reason. However, if this group was incited to instigate a riot which harms the issue and harms Egyptian-Palestinian strategic relations, the reason would not be the despair of the Palestinian people, but rather, the reason is that there are those who incite against the Palestinian people. So one should not rashly interpret a diplomatic objective which seems to be convincing." More explicitly, Sha’ath complained, "The Israelis manipulated - they took brother Ahmad Maher from the Moors gate, whereas the Palestinian delegation was waiting for him at the Al-Asbat gate on the other side, so they made it difficult for us to defend him."
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Tuesday night to thank him for the reception and what he called the successful meetings that were held on Monday during the visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher. Mubarak stressed his desire to enhance both his relations with Prime Minister Sharon and bilateral relations between Egypt and Israel.
At first, Sha’ath told the Al-Jazeera interviewer that "we are not completely certain about who is behind this incident, or what their objectives are, or what kind of message they wish to convey." However, when asked if he believed that "such behavior is nothing else other than expressing discouragement and despair about what is taking place," Sha’ath provided answered: "I am not convinced that this is the correct interpretation. Theoretically, this interpretation could be the reason. However, if this group was incited to instigate a riot which harms the issue and harms Egyptian-Palestinian strategic relations, the reason would not be the despair of the Palestinian people, but rather, the reason is that there are those who incite against the Palestinian people. So one should not rashly interpret a diplomatic objective which seems to be convincing." More explicitly, Sha’ath complained, "The Israelis manipulated - they took brother Ahmad Maher from the Moors gate, whereas the Palestinian delegation was waiting for him at the Al-Asbat gate on the other side, so they made it difficult for us to defend him."
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Tuesday night to thank him for the reception and what he called the successful meetings that were held on Monday during the visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher. Mubarak stressed his desire to enhance both his relations with Prime Minister Sharon and bilateral relations between Egypt and Israel.