Mubarak urges Israel to let Egyptian pressure force group to meet demands.
By YAAKOV KATZmubarak 88(photo credit: )
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Presidential palace in Cairo Tuesday that Israel would not negotiate with Hamas until it dismantled its terror infrastructure, recognized the State of Israel and accepted all previous agreements made between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
"Hamas's control over the Palestinian Authority is just another part of the 'axis of evil' that includes Iran, Syria, and now extends to the PA from where it will extend to additional countries that harbor terror organizations," Mofaz told reporters following his hour long meeting with Mubarak.
In addition to Hamas's win in the Palestinian elections, the two officials also discussed the current tense situation along Israel's northern border with Hizbullah and the growing global terror perpetrated by Islamic Jihad and Al Qaida.
Israel, Mofaz told Mubarak, believed that Syria and Iran were giving financial and logistical support to Hizbullah with the goal of shifting the international community's focus from those countries to the Hizbullah.
"Their goal is that the focus of the international world will be there [along the northern border] and not on Syria, since the Syrians are under pressure," Mofaz said.
Mubarak, Mofaz said, asked Israel to "have patience" since Egypt believed that it was only a matter of time before the Hamas met all of Jerusalem's criteria for the renewal of negotiations between the PA and Israel.
"Mubarak believes that the pressure Egypt has placed on Abu Mazen [PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas] and the Hamas will bear fruit and that the Hamas will change its ways," Mofaz said.
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