Posted on 12/23/2003 12:31:33 PM PST by witnesstothefall
JERUSALEM - A high-ranking Palestinian delegation was set to head to Cairo on a fence-mending mission after the embarrassing assault on Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher in Jerusalem's mosque compound.
An official statement said Tuesday that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat ordered Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) political bureau chief Faruq Qaddumi, foreign minister Nabil Shaath and his chief security advisor Jibril Rajub to lead the team, expected in the Egyptian capital in the next 48 hours.
The group would "offer the apologies of the Palestinian leadership and the Palestinian people after the cowardly aggression", the Al-Quds daily reported.
Palestinian official media sought to smooth over Monday's attack on Maher at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, offering profound apologies.
The attack "against the foreign minister from our sister country Egypt represents an aggression against the Palestinian people" and the Al-Aqsa mosque, wrote Hafez al-Barghuthi, editor-in-chief of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida.
Barghuthi, in an editorial headlined "Sorry Egypt", praised Cairo's role in the peace process and said he hoped it would continue "to support our people, who are not ungrateful even if a small handful dare to take it out on their big brother."
Maher was taken to hospital after suffering breathing difficulties as crowds denounced him as a "traitor" and hurled shoes while he was rounding off a visit to Israel during which he met Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
After returning to Cairo overnight, Maher said Tuesday that the incident would "have no impact on Egypt's" role as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Cairo would "continue its efforts" for peace in the region.
Al-Quds also condemned the assault as "a criminal, stupid act, far removed from the ethics of the Palestinian people."
"Such an act can only come from a person who lost all sense and logic since no one can deny the sacrifices made by the Egyptian brothers throughout history for the sake of the Palestinian cause.
"The attack also comes to affect the efforts exerted by Egypt to revive the peace process.
"We are confident that this attack will not affect the determination and support of the Egyptian leadership and people to the Palestinian cause," Al-Quds said.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat denounced the assault right after the incident.
"We firmly condemn this kind of action, all the more so that Mr Maher's visit aimed to support our people and put an end to Israel's aggressions," he told AFP.
Seven Palestinians who were arrested in the aftermath of the attack were expected to appear in court in Jerusalem later Tuesday, Israeli police sources said.
Palestinian witnesses said the assailants were members of the fringe Islamic Liberation Party.
Meanwhile, there is no progress to report in the investigation by "Palestinian authorities" into the bombing terrorist murder of Americans on a peace mission earlier this year. All the while, American tax dollars continue to flow to the terrorist apparatus.
The perpetrators were only acting out what they have been taught in PA schools since they were in PA Nursery Schools: Hate, especially Israelis, Americans... but including any Arabs seemingly working towards any kind of ME peace.
Pretty high-falutin' words, but they're really just worried that their money will be cut off.
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