The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said today that Israel was stirring fears and "poisoning the atmosphere" in the Middle East with electioneering talk of war.
"These threats are part of election campaigns but neighboring peoples hear them, which creates a certain apprehension and poisons the atmosphere in the region," Mubarak replied to questions from the state-run MENAnews agency.
"Some Israeli leaders have chosen this method to show they are men of war, as a means of pressure on the Palestinians," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who resigned last month to pave the way for early elections on February 6 amid waning support for concessions for peace, warned of a regional war if no settlement is struck with the Palestinians.
Mubarak said he "had doubts about the possibility of reaching any agreement before the end" of US President Bill Clinton's term.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat "cannot accept what the Israelis are currently offering him," Mubarak said.
Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, plays a key role in trying to bridge the gap between its allies the Palestinians and the Jewish state.
AFP