Lieberman to apologize?
Photo: AP
'Egyptians waiting for public apology from Lieberman'
Palestinian source tell Ynet he believes Cairo in no hurry to forgive foreign minister for his past remarks: 'The Egyptians have made it clear that if Lieberman wants to visit their country, he must apologize at the same place and in the same way he attacked their leadership'
Egypt
is in no hurry to forgive Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for
his past remarks, a Palestinian source involved in the intra-Palestinian dialogue
in Cairo told Ynet on Friday.
He added that the Egyptians will determine their stance towards the Netanyahu
government in accordance with its conduct.
According to the source, "What we've heard from our brothers in Egypt is that there is no change in the approach towards the new Israeli government."
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Despite Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman's meetings in Israel this week – including with Lieberman, the Palestinian source believes there has been no change on the Egyptian side in terms of the attitude towards Lieberman.
"As far as the Egyptians are concerned, this meeting was held following a lot of pressure by Lieberman and his people, but he will not be invited to Egypt before apologizing to the Egyptian leadership and people," he said.
In the past few months, the foreign minister launched a series of harsh attacks on Egypt. Speaking at the Knesset about half a year ago about Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Lieberman said, "He doesn’t want to talk to us? Then let him go to hell."
On a different opportunity, he threatened to bomb the Aswan Dam if Egypt were to bring military forces into Sinai.
How will such an apology take place? The Egyptians seem to have an answer to this question as well. According to the Palestinian source, "The Egyptians have made it clear that if Lieberman wants to visit Egypt, he must apologize at the same place and in the same way he attacked the Egyptian leadership. In other words, in public and on the media – preferably on the Egyptian media.
"Without an open, public and clear apology from Lieberman to the president and people of Egypt, the Israeli foreign minister will not set foot in Egypt," the Palestinian source concluded.
Meanwhile, an Egyptian source told local newspaper al-Masry al-Youm that Suleiman only invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to visit the country, and not Foreign Minister Avgidor Lieberman.
According to the source, "This is how it will be as long as Lieberman fails to apologize for his past statements against Egypt and against President Mubarak." He added that "in the near future we will only work opposite Netanyahu and Barak."
Roee Nahmias contributed to this report
