Egypt in a bind: to shake an Israeli hand or to kiss a Russian cheek?

A silly Egyptian-Israeli musical minister game is being played: President Mubarak refuses to go to Israel, has done so consistently. He always invites the Israeli Prime Minister to Egypt for meetings, and the Israeli leaders usually understand and accept graciously (maybe not so graciously in private).

Egypt’s foreign ministers usually visit Israel often enough, as does the Israeli foreign minister visit Egypt.

This time the Egyptian foreign minister has publicly stated that he will not shake hands with Avigdor Lieberman, the new Israeli minister to whom Netanyahu had to give the foreign ministry in order to become prime minister. Lieberman is known in the Arab world as a rabid extremist and anti-Arab who has publicly advocated expelling Israeli Arabs (probably still does secretly). Most Israeli commentators to the left of Avigdor (which means just about anybody to the left of Fox News) have expressed abhorrence at his choice as foreign minister, effectively the no. 2 in the cabinet.  This creates a diplomatic dilemma: Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Cairo soon, and leaders usually take their foreign ministers with them. Except that Mr. Mubarak now states pointedly that Netanyahu will visit Cairo alone: no foreign minister. He is doing it to cover his ample flank, of course. Interesting how Mubarak makes the decision for Netanyahu this time, but only this time.

But then, what happens when Egypt’s foreign minister visits Israel? Will he still refuse to shake hands with the nasty Lieberman and be content with planting a kiss on his Russian cheek?

“Israeli military blames civilian deaths on 'errors': After an internal investigation, the Israeli military said Wednesday that its soldiers had unintentionally killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, but said there were no widespread abuses and declared that its soldiers never violated international law.” mcclatchydc.com, April 23.

 

“Inheriting power Palestinian style- aid money for president’s sons: Reuters research shows that under Bush the American government gave contracts to improve its image and repair West Bank roads to companies owned by sons of (PA President) Mahmoud Abbas.” Middle East Online, April 23. Maybe they were a subsidiary of Halliburton?

 

“The latest report of the Saudi Ministry of Social Affairs indicates that 22% of Saudi residents are poor. The report shows that 600 thousand Saudi families live on welfare assistance, but that in spite of that 3 million Saudis live below the poverty line.” Aafaq, April 23.

 

“Has Yemen become a base for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula?: al-Qaeda in Yemen merged with Saudi al-Qaeda last January, and it is worrying political, security, and media circles in the region.” Aafaq

“Head of Kuwait’s Human Rights Society has called on the government to somehow punish a candidate for parliament because he called for full relations with Israel. The chief, a Mr. Ali al-Baghli, a former minister, hinted that the Minister of Information (media control and censorship, among other exciting things) should somehow look into the matter and punish the candidate for using the 'media' for his electoral advantage.” Kuwaiti and Arab media April 21. Imagine, a candidate using the media: how shameless and un-political. What is worse: imagine, a human rights organization asking the state to muzzle free speech. Only in the Middle East.
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