Israel Asks Mubarak to Persuade Arafat to Calm Down TensionsIsraeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has asked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to urge Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to help calm down the tensions in the Palestinian areas, Egypt's Al-Ahram daily reported on Monday.Mubarak on Sunday received a message from Barak delivered by Israeli Ambassador to Egypt Zvi Mazel, the pro-government newspaper said. Barak called in the message on Mubarak to "persuade Arafat to help restore calm and security in the West Bank and Israel proper as quickly as possible," the paper quoted Mazel as saying. Israel appreciates Mubarak's important role in helping advance the Middle East peace process, the Israeli diplomat said. Barak gave his viewpoint of the violence in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Mazel added. Barak also explained in the message why he did not travel to Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh to meet Mubarak, Arafat and United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Thursday, Mazel said but did not elaborate. About 90 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,000 others wounded by Israeli security forces in the last 11 days of bloody clashes, which was triggered by the provocative visit by Israeli hawkish opposition Likud party leader Ariel Sharon to the Islamic holy site Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem on September 28. |
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