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Last update - 00:00 29/10/2008
Lieberman: Mubarak can 'go to hell'; Peres, Olmert apologize
By Shahar Ilan, Barak Ravid and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Hosni Mubarak 

President Shimon Peres issued an official apology to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday, after right-wing MK Avigdor Lieberman said earlier that the Egyptian president could "go to hell."

During a special Knesset plenary session marking the seventh anniversary of the assassination of far-right minister Rehavam Ze'evi (Gandhi), the Yisrael Beiteinu chairman said that "Gandhi would have never approved of our self-effacement vis-a-vis the Egyptians. Time and time again our leaders go to Egypt to meet Mubarak, and he has never made a single official visit.
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"Every self respecting leader would have conditioned such meetings on reciprocation. If he wants to talks to us, he should come here, and if he doesn't want to come, he can go to hell," Lieberman continued.

Peres expressed regret over Lieberman's remarks, saying "in a memorial ceremony in our parliament, one of the members made an impolite remark concerning President Mubarak. All of us are very sorry about it. I want to make clear that we have the highest respect for President Mubarak. He is a really stable leader for peace in the Middle East. He does not stop for a moment from acting for peace. And he continues to do so. I just talked to him on the phone, and I am so glad that he is trying to see what are the chances of furthering the causes of peace in all of our region."

Outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert also phoned Mubarak and apologized on behalf of the state of Israel for the insulting remarks made by Lieberman. "These kinds of comments should be made, and when they are made they cosist of unnecessary content," Olmert said.

Olmert emphasized to Mubarak that he views Lieberman's comments as detrimental. "Israel sees in Egypt's President a strategic partner and a close friend, and understands the utmost importance of tightening relations with Egypt and strengthening ties between countries in general," Olmert went on to say.

A spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Houssam Zaki, issued a harsh response to Lieberman's verbal attack. In a phone conversation with Haaretz from Cairo, Zaki said that Lieberman's remarks don't warrant a response.

"This is not the first time that man has spoken against Egypt. His anti-Egypt and anti-Arab sentiments are well known. He is a racist, but on top of that, he proved today that he is also impolite," Zaki told Haaretz.

"It is comforting to know that there are smart politicians in Israel," the Egyptian official went on to say, "like President Peres and Prime Minister Olmert, who were on hand to repair the damage."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak addressed the incident during a meeting with European Union ambassadors, saying "I heard there were hurtful comments against Egypt's president. We respect our neighbors, especially Egypt, which is a leading country in the region and with which we have a peace accord, which has weathered difficult trials."

"Peace between Israel and Egypt is a strategic asset," Barak continued. "Any comment like this one is unacceptable."

MK Colette Avital (Labor), formerly a senior foreign ministry official, said that "Lieberman's irresponsible comment about Mubarak caused immense diplomatic damage to Israel and he should be compelled to apologize."

Meretz Chair Zahava Gal-On said that Lieberman, whom she described as a serial pyromaniac, is a "dangerous unstoppable man. His words could cause a crisis with Egypt."

Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, but relations have often been frosty since.

Mubarak has only traveled to Israel once - for the funeral of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 - but he has never come to Jerusalem on an official diplomatic visit.

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      1.   This is Joe The Plumber and I officially endorse 19:08  |  Joe The Plumber 29/10/08
      2.   Peres expresses dhimmitude 19:15  |  Teez El-Nabi 29/10/08
      3.   He is, of course, totally right. Do we have NO pride?? 19:15  |  Jewish State 29/10/08
      4.   Lieberman has never been known for being discreet 19:23  |  David G 29/10/08
      5.   Avigdor Lieberman, the leader 19:23  |  Robert Haymond 29/10/08
      6.   israel is in the wrong region 19:26  |  like it or not 29/10/08
      7.   I join Lieberman - Mubarak can jump into the sea 19:30  |  x-ray 29/10/08
      8.   I agree with the Russian mobster 19:31  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 29/10/08
      9.   Lieberman, you can kiss my ass 19:35  |  Palestinian in UK 29/10/08
      10.   Of course Lieberman, ask your wife 19:36  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/10/08
      11.   Did Peres issue an invitation with the apology? 19:37  |  David 29/10/08
      12.   Peres on his knees to Arab enemies again.... 19:38  |  Elie 29/10/08
      13.   To #9 "palestinian" then why are you in the UK instead of in... 19:41  |  Joe 29/10/08
      14.   Go Lieberman! 19:41  |  Likud Lady 29/10/08
      15.   #8 my Landsman Tom Lobo Meyer 19:42  |  Joe Moer 29/10/08
      16.   Does Israel Have Anything to Gain by 19:45  |  ARTH 29/10/08
      17.   Lieberman tells the truth and Olmert is offended 19:53  |  Simon 29/10/08
      18.   #9 To Palestinian, I totally agree and would like to join him 19:54  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/10/08
      19.   DOES MUBARAK APOLOGIZE WHEN GOVT PRESS INSULTS ISRAEL DAILY? 19:56  |  Joel Stein 29/10/08
      20.   like it or not #6 20:14  |  Gee 29/10/08
      21.   Peres and Olmert = Neville Chamberlain 20:21  |  Ken Jurist 29/10/08
      22.   MUBARAK:BEST OF A BAD LOT 20:24  |  Ian 29/10/08
      23.   Mubarak should answer Lieberman: No, I`m not going to you 20:27  |  Aounist 29/10/08
      24.   Condem & teach Lieberman, Peres, Olmert 20:33  |  H.H.M. 29/10/08
      25.   NO SHAME 20:34  |  Gayle Kartez 29/10/08
      26.   Lieberman is right 20:35  |  Brod 29/10/08
      27.   Has Mubarak Ever Apologized for the anti-Jewish Remarks 20:38  |  massaraksh 29/10/08
      28.   ARTH - # 16 - Pushing Israel into the Sea 20:42  |  WYSIWYG 29/10/08
      29.   Condem & teach Lieberman, Peres, Olmert 20:49  |  H.H.M. 29/10/08
      30.   Liebermann is right, Mubarak go to hell ! 20:49  |  Moise 29/10/08
      31.   Again, Peres puts enemy ahead of us 20:50  |  Arie 29/10/08
      32.   Lack of discretion and 20:53  |  better part of wit 29/10/08
      33.   POLITICIAN,but no diplomat 20:57  |  Patrick Hammel 29/10/08
      34.   Peres 21:02  |  Yankee 29/10/08
      35.   That was nice of him 21:04  |  Mark Lincoln 29/10/08
      36.   like a reed in the wind 21:08  |  Chaim Moykopf 29/10/08
      37.   Peres respects Mubarak but does Mubarak respect Peres? 21:12  |  Realist 29/10/08
      38.   Disgusting 21:15  |  Faraz 29/10/08
      39.   Only Right-Wing and "Normal" -- no Left-Wing or Far Left 21:17  |  Yacof Shimpson 29/10/08
      40.   Lieberman is right, need to make more demands of Arab world 21:20  |  David 29/10/08
      41.   Mending The Fence??? 21:21  |  Yanatan 29/10/08
      42.   I Wonder if...... 21:35  |  WYSIWYG 29/10/08
      43.   Peres issues official apology 21:41  |  n_erber 29/10/08
      44.   Facts spell it out plainly; nearly 30 years in power 21:43  |  Jacob Blues 29/10/08
      45.   so what`s new? 21:50  |  Barbara 29/10/08
      46.   Deserving respect 22:13  |  Moshe 29/10/08
      47.   obama not for israel 22:18  |  D 29/10/08
      48.   again with rightist nonsense 22:19  |  David K. 29/10/08
      49.   Lieberman 22:23  |  Jose Marcio 29/10/08
      50.   Easy bullseye on a large target 22:23  |  Ilan 29/10/08
      51.   Liberman 22:28  |  The Teacher/Instruct 29/10/08
      52.   Can I take it that Mubarak will not be voting for 22:30  |  . 29/10/08
      53.   Can I take it that Mubarak will not be voting for 22:31  |  A.J. Myers 29/10/08
      54.   Lieberman , the proud Israeli 22:39  |  Lionel Fisch 29/10/08
      55.   Lieberman 1000% right! 23:08  |  Kenny 29/10/08
      56.   Mubarak is trying to impress the Extremists 23:11  |  Avi 29/10/08
      57.   Lieberman defends Israel without hesistation 23:17  |  Avi 29/10/08
      58.   Talkback unanimous: Peres crazy 23:27  |  Marty Green 29/10/08
      59.   I hadn`t thought about it but Lieberman is correct! 23:36  |  redmike 29/10/08
      60.   Lieberman 23:56  |  Observer 29/10/08
      61.   Lieberman is the leader of Yisrael KGB-eiteinu 00:01  |  durak 30/10/08
      62.   What can you expect from a mobster 00:01  |  Mary 30/10/08
      63.   Talkback unanimous: Wingnuts for racist Lieberman... 00:05  |  BBSNews 30/10/08
      64.   Hahahah, ya and Arabs arent racist... 00:10  |  Jordan 30/10/08
      65.   we need to recover our agressvity to deter our ennemies 00:19  |  dovdevan 30/10/08
      66.   #28 00:26  |  ARTH 30/10/08
      67.   Just 2 Loosers 01:04  |  Victor 30/10/08
      68.   With their apologies Olmert and Peres should have offered an 01:32  |  Robert 30/10/08
      69.   Leiberman is right on.... 01:33  |  Nemesis 30/10/08
      70.   Houssam the racist 01:40  |  Mr. Smith 30/10/08
      71.   Lieberman 01:44  |  dan seigel 30/10/08
      72.   mubarak facilitate $millions of arms into gaza to destroy Israel 01:59  |  Jack 30/10/08
      73.   I always thought a friendship works both ways 02:00  |  Shepherd 30/10/08
      74.   APOLOGISE?, try sacked 02:08  |  VIPER 30/10/08
      75.   Peres & Olmert Must Apologize to the Israeli People 02:09  |  massaraksh 30/10/08
      76.   Mubark is already in hell 02:41  |  Great White North 30/10/08
      77.   Two wrongs make a right Jordan eh? 03:04  |  BBSNews 30/10/08
      78.   Lieberman has the balls most Israeli leaders these days lack 03:15  |  Jon 30/10/08
      79.   I agree Viper, a civilized country would sack the racist... 03:17  |  BBSNews 30/10/08
      80.   Another misleading haaretz headline 03:20  |  Arie 30/10/08
      81.   #79..BBs News...did you now... 03:28  |  Nemesis 30/10/08
      82.   Corrupt Dictator VS. Racist Mobster 03:48  |  Joe 30/10/08
      83.   Nice start for me "an arab" 04:22  |  abizaid 30/10/08
      84.   If Lieberman Wants To Start A Fight... 04:23  |  Yosemite 30/10/08
      85.   No Arab Leader can dare not to be a racist. 04:23  |  Akram Zekaria 30/10/08
      86.   Race? 04:38  |  Dudka 30/10/08
      87.   Liberman are you angry too bad Egypt too is angry ! 04:51  |  Ahmad Gomaa 30/10/08
      88.   Peres and Olmert? Money is their name & their game. 04:59  |  American 30/10/08
      89.   Apologetic Jews 05:07  |  Steve 30/10/08
      90.   BBS : people in a glass house 05:10  |  Ilan 30/10/08
      91.   VIPER "as i`ve sadi before," you are a clueless mouth 05:17  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      92.   BBS You do not like racism etc?? Surprise us all ! 05:24  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      93.   Response #16, ARTH 05:27  |  sandra chitayat 30/10/08
      94.   No Rascist Comments from Egyptian Politicians??? 05:40  |  Shtarka 30/10/08
      95.   Lieberman 05:55  |  Jane 30/10/08
      96.   #51, teacher/instruct 05:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/10/08
      97.   When a fly falls into a coffee cup 06:11  |  Steve 30/10/08
      98.   to post # 83 06:27  |  Victor 30/10/08
      99.   I agrre with the russian MP for different reason 06:42  |  reza SHAH 30/10/08
      100.   #97, Steve, very funny 06:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/10/08
      101.   FINALLY SOMEONE SAYS IT!!!! 08:33  |  Ben Uziel 30/10/08
      102.   REZA SHAH "a hell bent country".Did you read your Supreme Leader? 09:15  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      103.   Elections are coming 09:19  |  Zev 30/10/08
      104.   Lieberman and Ahmadinejad: Brothers in spirit if not in blood 09:43  |  Natallie Durson 30/10/08
      105.   Peres, Olmert apologize 09:52  |  Ralph 30/10/08
      106.   Diplomacy helps.but.. 09:55  |  David Nigel Braham 30/10/08
      107.   Cipora Julianna Kohn 10:00  |  The Teacher/Indtruct 30/10/08
      108.   # 1 hey joe t. p. re: endorsement 10:01  |  eric 30/10/08
      109.   the most that lieberman can offer israel 10:06  |  eric 30/10/08
      110.   i wonder if lieberman, or any of YOU, have considered WHY 10:31  |  eric 30/10/08
      111.   Why would Mubarak want to join Lieberman? 10:42  |  John 30/10/08
      112.   It is normal - every time a member of Egyptian 11:10  |  17 30/10/08
      113.   Oh Dearest cynical Natallie 11:36  |  Shtarka 30/10/08
      114.   NATALIE.The fact that Israel doesn`t chose him but Ahmad.is Pres. 11:37  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      115.   Cold Peace? 11:45  |  Jackie 30/10/08
      116.   Ahmad Gomaa why do you think your Sudanese brothers escape to 12:48  |  30/10/08
      117.   Lieberman the Israeli = the US Lieberman & v.v. 12:50  |  samos 30/10/08
      118.   Ahmad Gomaa re "unmerciful &unfair state".Why do Sudanese risk 12:56  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      119.   Liberman is Absolutely Right 14:03  |  Ralph Levy 30/10/08
      120.   He was polite 14:20  |  Gene 30/10/08
      121.   For a change, Lieberman was right 14:30  |  David Teich 30/10/08
      122.   The motive for the apology and publicity: Undermine the right 15:46  |  Simon 30/10/08
      123.   Mr. Sullivan 15:49  |  Big Sur 30/10/08
      124.   Presid. Mubarak, Lieberman, Peres, Olmert 16:06  |  Ricardo Kolbe 30/10/08
      125.   #69 Ya Nemesis Liberman is Right,And the rest are.. 16:30  |  Kathy 30/10/08
      126.   #87 Ahmad Gomaa ....It`s too bad that 16:35  |  Lynn 30/10/08
      127.   #121 David Teich At last Someone has had the Courage tell 16:43  |  Kathy 30/10/08
      128.   #89 Steve..Apologetic Jews?No! Dhimmi Jews More Like. 17:21  |  Kathy 30/10/08
      129.   Lieberman doesn`t want peace he wants quiet 17:25  |  sh 30/10/08
      130.   #126 Lynn..There comes a time,when you say:I can stands IT NOMORE 17:28  |  Kathy 30/10/08
      131.   I believe like most do here Mubarak should get out more often. 18:09  |  Big Sur 30/10/08
      132.   Jews arre wimps- no reciprocity 18:39  |  Roberto 30/10/08
      133.   Boycotting Apartheid Not New 19:06  |  Gray 30/10/08
      134.   #129 sh..Conversely if mubarak goes,and time will come.. 19:13  |  Kathy 30/10/08
      135.   LIEBERMAN FOR THE PRESIDENT OF EGYPT 19:24  |  indrajaya 30/10/08
      136.   Of course Lieberman is right 19:24  |  rich 30/10/08
      137.   "Outburst in the Knesset".! 19:49  |  Stephen. 30/10/08
      138.   Lieberman is unstable. 20:16  |  Maki 30/10/08
      139.   Israrel don`t respect Boys 21:02  |  Florida Fred 30/10/08
      140.   LIEBERMAN / MUBARAK 21:30  |  LES AMIS D`ISRAEL 30/10/08
      141.   FLORIDA Fred You want it all one way?Israelis to come on Haj 21:47  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      142.   INDRAJAYA Re Muslim brotherhood,shame you can`t blame Israel 21:52  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      143.   Strong voice for Israel 22:09  |  Realist 30/10/08
      144.   To Ralph Levy 22:14  |  Otto Rand 30/10/08
      145.   #135 Indy Iranian Poster child, who the hell needs Egypt 22:33  |  Big Sur 30/10/08
      146.   GREYThats why Israel has diplomatic relations with 160 countries. 01:04  |  PETER SM 31/10/08
      147.   #110 Eric 01:20  |  Not Quite 31/10/08
      148.   SADAT GOT SHOT FOR COMING... 01:25  |  Barry S. Roffman 31/10/08
      149.   HELL 01:34  |  Dudka 31/10/08
      150.   Just the Stupidity Of Olmert`s Comments 01:56  |  Gary 31/10/08
      151.   Leftist appeasers 02:27  |  Frank 31/10/08
      152.   Peter sm; Apologists? 03:17  |  Gray 31/10/08
      153.   Mubarak can `go to hell` 03:32  |  Alec 31/10/08
      154.   Gray re; contradictory posts 03:40  |  Howard from Van. 31/10/08
      155.   Florida Fred 03:45  |  Howard 31/10/08
      156.   Respect is not weakness, don`t stoop to that level. 03:51  |  Howard 31/10/08
      157.   #148 Sadat got shot 04:10  |  norman a blumberg 31/10/08
      158.   Howard from Van; Thanks.... 04:20  |  Gray 31/10/08
      159.   Gray 04:43  |  Howard 31/10/08
      160.   Correction 06:12  |  Mike 31/10/08
      161.   #140 Les Amis: Des bon mots, merci 06:21  |  Howard 31/10/08
      162.   People forget easily 07:09  |  John 31/10/08
      163.   # 147 to not quite re: history 07:53  |  eric 31/10/08
      164.   Lieberman and Ze`evi are racitst thugs 08:16  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 31/10/08
      165.   #91 PETER SM. GO HOME 08:32  |  VIPER 31/10/08
      166.   # 147 to not quite re: history (2nd try) 09:17  |  eric 31/10/08
      167.   Politics is not the art of lying to each other! 12:07  |  Akram Zekaria 31/10/08
      168.   eric #162 13:33  |  Not Quite 31/10/08
      169.   # 163 eric 16:36  |  The Teacher/Instruct 31/10/08
      170.   #162 Viper 16:45  |  Not Quite 31/10/08
      171.   Viper # 162 hiding under an Arab mask 17:59  |  The Teacher/Instruct 31/10/08
      172.   jews..slaves of the egyptians 01:16  |  sam i am 01/11/08
      173.   #167, NOT QUITE, not quite smart either 01:32  |  VIPER 01/11/08
      174.   #169 Viper 02:43  |  Not Quite 01/11/08
      175.   # 168 to not quite re: mubarak 08:50  |  eric 02/11/08
      176.   eric 16:18  |  Not Quite 02/11/08
      177.   The American Lieberman 08:49  |  David Zukerman 03/11/08
      178.   #176 to "not quite" on the mark... 02:18  |  eric 04/11/08
      179.   GOD SAVE MUBARAK! 23:49  |  peacemaker 10/11/08
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