Mubarak To Tell U.S. Israel Must Make Overture

Barack Obama and Hosni Mubarak met last month in Italy. Photo AFP

From The New York Times:

CAIRO — In White House meetings beginning Monday, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt is expected to tell the Obama administration that Arab nations want peace, but are unwilling to abide Mr. Obama’s call to make good-faith concessions to Israel until Israel takes tangible steps like freezing settlements, an Egyptian official said

As part of its effort to resuscitate the peace process, the Obama administration has asked Arab countries to make small but symbolic gestures to normalize relations with Israel, like allowing planes to fly through their airspace or improving cultural ties. The administration has also asked Israel to freeze all growth in settlements.

So far, neither side has agreed to Mr. Obama’s proposed first steps, and so the president is expected to look to Mr. Mubarak for help in breaking the latest Middle East deadlock, regional analysts said.

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Update: EGYPT: Mr. Mubarak and son go to Washington -- L.A. Times

Update #2: Egypt leader in US as pressure builds on Mideast -- AFP

My Comment: The focus is justifiably on President Mubarak's son. It appears that he is being positioned to take over from his father .... and meeting President Obama is just one of the many first steps that he must do to claim the job.

Update #3: Egypt labor strikes point to desperate conditions -- L.A. times

Update #4: A Message for Mubarak - Michele Dunne, Washington Post opinion