CAIRO: With press reports claiming that new Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has somewhat changed his hard-line stance, it remains to be seen whether that will mean Egypt will be willing to host him.
Analysts believe that an apology – not just general positive statements about Egypt’s role in the region – is unavoidable if the controversial minister is to mend ties with Egypt.
The pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported last Saturday that when meeting with Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, Lieberman had come across as surprisingly moderate and a proponent of the two-state solution.
Lieberman had incurred Cairo’s wrath over statements he had made while party leader in which he proposed the bombing of the Aswan Dam as well as stating that President Hosni Mubarak could “go to hell for not visiting Israel.
Al-Hayat quoted an Egyptian source who said that during the meeting with Suleiman, “Lieberman was incredibly moderate and spoke with Suleiman about the peace process and negotiations. He presented the two-state solution as means to promote security, stability and peace in the region.
Furthermore, “he emphasized the importance of economic development in the West Bank and Gaza, the source added.
Lieberman had also said upon assuming his post that Egypt was an important strategic ally of Israel. An Israeli Foreign ministry statement released after the meeting stated that Lieberman had “expressed his respect and appreciation for Egypt’s leading role in the region and his personal respect for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Minister Suleiman.
However, when Egypt announced that new Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had been invited to Egypt, Mubarak had stressed that only Netanyahu would come and no one else, hinting that Lieberman was still not welcome.
Emad Gad from the International Relations unit of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies said that there would be no skirting around an apology for Lieberman if he wanted to mend his relationship with Egypt.
“He is a politician trying to change his image but there is a step that Egypt requires of him, which is to apologize, he said, “He’s tried to sidestep the apology by stating that Egypt is a major power but that will not do for Egyptian officials.
Therefore, Gad continued, Egypt “will not receive him unless there is a big breakthrough in the negotiations of the peace process, or maybe in a year when people have forgotten the outburst.
The invitation of Netanyahu, let alone Lieberman has been met with resistance by opposition groups in Egypt.
“When Egypt invites Netanyahu or Lieberman, it is going against the wishes of the Egyptian people, head of the Arab Socialist Party Waheed Al-Aqsari said, “The regime is not deferring to the will of the people but rather they are deferring to the current reality.
“This invitation goes against the pride of Egyptians, especially after what Lieberman has said. These things only lead to ridicule of the Egyptians, he added.
