Mubarak Warns Israel of Disastrous Consequences

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 16, 2001

Mubarak Warns Israel of Disastrous Consequences

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak late Saturday warned that escalating Israeli aggressions against the Palestinians would bring about "unlimited" dangers in the future.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak late Saturday warned that escalating Israeli aggressions against the Palestinians would bring about "unlimited" dangers in the future.

Mubarak made the warning in an interview with Samir Ragab, chairman and editor-in-chief of the official Arabic-language Al Gumhuria. "The policy they (Israelis) are pursuing are short- sighted and will lead to no solution rather than catastrophes," he warned.

"When they try to eliminate the Palestinian National Authority, the Israelis imagine that they will get the upper hand. On the contrary, a state of chaos inside and outside Israel will prevail," the Egyptian leader said.

The Egyptian president dismissed as "bizarre" Israel's decision to ban Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from leaving for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference, held in Doha, Qatar, last week.

The violence in the Middle East would not be halted until Israel gives up its belief that security would result from its aggressive policy on the Palestinians, Mubarak said.

"Security and peace will not be realized unless a sovereign Palestinian state is established," Mubarak said, stressing that only negotiations and easing the siege of the Palestinians would lead to peace.

Mubarak also said that it is necessary to enhance international cooperation in combating terrorism, while calling on the world community to "join hands" to find solutions to the international problem.

He renews his call for holding an international conference against terrorism under the auspices of the U.N. to provide a " clear-cut" definition of terrorism and distinguish terrorism from resistance to foreign occupation.

The situation in the Middle East has been worsening as the Israeli cabinet decided Wednesday night to cut off all contacts with Arafat and approved a series of military measures against Palestinian targets in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

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