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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher was attacked by Palestinians while visiting the al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
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| By Ellis Shuman December 23, 2003 |
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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said the attack on him yesterday by Palestinians while he was visiting the al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem only reinforced his determination to work for a solution of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Maher, 68, who was making his first visit to Israel in two years, was briefly hospitalized at Hadassah University Hospital after suffering from shortness of breath.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's office issued a statement denouncing the "irresponsible" attack, 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."
Israeli Police arrested seven residents of east Jerusalem on Monday night on suspicion that they had been involved in the verbal and physical attack on Maher while he was visiting the mosque. No details about the suspects were made available but media reports suggested that they were members of a radical Palestinian group called the Islamic Liberation Movement.
Two Israeli doctors accompanied Maher on his return to Egypt late Monday, Israel Radio reported. The foreign minister was reported in good condition following a series of medical checks at the Jerusalem hospital.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, both of whom had met with Maher earlier in the day, condemned the attack. Sharon called Maher on the phone and quipped, "I understand you will stay with us a while." Shalom visited his Egyptian counterpart at the hospital.
"The attack was carried out by extremists, and demonstrates that unfortunately, extremists who oppose any and all expressions of peace between Israel and Arab countries still exist. This incident should serve to strengthen the forces working for peace and send a message that that the path of extremists will not prevail," Shalom said in a statement.
The Palestinian Authority also condemned the attack and vowed to find the culprits responsible.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the assault on Mr. Maher. Mr. Maher's visit to Israel was fully coordinated with Palestinian leadership, and the aim of the visit is to break the vicious cycle of violence and revive the peace process," said Palestinian Minister Saeb Erekat.
"You're not welcome here"
Following his talks with Sharon, Shalom and President Moshe Katsav, Maher went to meet with Waqf officials on the Temple Mount and to pray at the al-Aqsa Mosque. As is customary at the Muslim holy site, Israeli security personnel did not accompany Maher into the mosque.
According to witness reports, Palestinian worshippers inside the mosque shouted at Maher, "You're not welcome here!" and charged that Egypt was helping Israel oppress the Palestinians. "You are collaborating with the killers of Muslims," one shouted.
Some of the Palestinians threw shoes at Maher. In Islamic culture, showing someone the bottom of your foot or the sole of your shoe is a great insult, the Associated Press reported.
Witnesses said Maher grimaced in pain and clutched his chest and heard him gasping, "I'm going to choke, I'm going to choke," as he left the compound in a bedlam of shoving and shouting through a gate above the Western Wall.
Maher was led to a Magen David Adom medical service station in the area for initial treatment and was later evacuated to Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem for further tests.
Emergency physician Rivka Kaplan, who examined Maher at the scene, said he had "a choking feeling... We did an electrocardiogram and everything was normal."
Sharon: We will meet quiet with quiet
Earlier in the day, Sharon told Maher that Israel would not be a party to a cease-fire agreement with the Palestinian terrorist organizations, but would "meet quiet with quiet."
Maher had arrived in Israel to promote efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. He did not plan to meet with Palestinian officials, stating that this trip was "laser beamed" at Israeli leaders only.
Israeli officials said that the talks with Maher went well. According to media reports, Sharon raised the subject of Israeli Azzam Azzam, imprisoned in Egypt on charges of spying for Israel. Maher promised to raise the issue with Mubarak upon his return to Cairo.
"I am sure that this visit will contribute to the strengthening of relations between Egypt and Israel," Sharon said. "I hope this visit will contribute to our relationship with the Palestinian Authority and our efforts to reach a peace agreement."
"Let's start this road which will lead us to a solution and to peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, which will be beneficial to the whole region," Maher said, after meeting with Shalom. "So, I come out from here encouraged, but the encouragement needs to be followed up by actions, we hope to see actions from both sides as soon as possible."
Shalom will reportedly travel to Egypt for an official visit in two months' time. Some media reports suggested that Maher's meeting was precursor for a possible, first-ever Sharon-Mubarak summit.
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