By KUNA,
Washington : Egypt Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gheit called on Friday for a “period of quiet” between Israel and Hamas, describing his country as “a force of stability in the region.”
Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations, Abul Gheit said that the solution in the stalemate on the Palestinian-Israeli front is not returning to the concept of national unity government between Fatah and Hamas but to establish “a period of quiet.”
He argued that this is the only way out now since Israel does not want a written agreement with Hamas, and the Palestinian militant group does not want direct negotiations with Israel.
Abul Gheit talked about a three element plan in progress that Egypt is brokering between Hamas and Israel where there would first be a cease fire, second exchange of prisonners, and allow crossing on the border between Gaza and the West Bank.
“We are making good progress but the difficulties we face is that there are trends inside Gaza and Israel that oppose this solution, in addition to foreign elements”, referring to the relation of Iran with Hamas.
Abul Gheit further suggested a long term truce between the two over 10 or 20 years until “new dynamics take place.” “Over time Hamas has to change or else they will damage the interests of the Palestinian people”, he said while adding that the decision to make peace must be taken in Israel first.
The Egyptian Minister also urged the Israelis “to bring the settlements to an end as soon as possible.” The Egyptian foreign minister said Israel and Syria are now “probing each other” for a possible agreement and it is possible to do so but wondered if Israel “is capable of negotiating on two fronts at the same time.”
“It also depends on how the United States sees that track”, he added.
Abul Gheit is on a two day visit to the United States where he met with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, and White House National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley in addition to leading members in Congress.
Abul Gheit said that the region is witnessing “a very difficult time” with the Israeli Palestinian dispute, the political crisis in Lebanon, in addition to Iraq, Sudan and the Iranian nuclear issue.
On Iraq, he said this country is “in a very messy situation for possibly half of a decade if not a decade” and warned of the disintegration of Iraq as the national armed forces are unable to disband and disarm militia.
He said that the United States cannot leave Iraq until this country is stabilized or else this is will affect the whole region and asked Washington “not to push away its allies” in the region.
Abul Gheit said if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon, this will start a nuclear race all over the region and affirmed that any deal with Americans and Iranians “must not come at the account” of Arab interests.