An Arab editorial condemned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Saturday for inviting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Sharm el-Sheikh Monday.
The editor of the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Abd al-Bari Atwan, who is not among Israel's greatest fans, wrote in his article entitled 'Not Ahalan and Not Sahalan' that Israel was draining Mubarak of his last drops of blood.
He said Netanyahu wants to meet the president now as a cover for Israel's next war, as former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni did before Operation Cast Lead in Gaza.
"I can't understand why Egypt continues to roll out the red carpet before Netanyahu during every visit, while the Israeli prime minister continues to deliver slaps to the faces of Egypt, the Arabs, and the Muslims," Atwan wrote.
"Mubarak welcomes Netanyahu in Egypt while continuing to drag his feet and refusing to meet with Syrian President (Bashar) Assad, who expressed his wishes to see the Egyptian president after he returned from his surgery in Germany," he added.
"Recent occurrences teach us that Egypt has become Israel's strategic ally. It would have been better for the Egyptian president to offer assistance to Syria and Lebanon and not the vice president of Iran, who said Israel's legs would be cut off if it attacked Syria."