Egyptian foreign minister in Israel for peace talks

Egypt’s foreign minister was due in Israel today to try to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Ahmed Maher’s visit comes amid fears by some Israeli leaders that prime minister Ariel Sharon’s threat to act independently if the deadlock continued might set off a confrontation between Jewish settlers and their own army.

Visiting Israel for the first time in two years, Maher planned to meet Sharon, the foreign minister, president and parliamentary opposition leader.

Egypt has been trying to win Palestinian approval for a ceasefire to halt three years of Middle East violence, but faces opposition from Islamic factions and other militants.

Turning now to the Israelis, Maher will press them to resume contacts with the Palestinians over the international peace plan known as the “road map”.

US president George Bush launched the “road map” in June, setting in motion a process that is supposed to lead through three stages to a Palestinian state in 2005.

However, talks bogged down amid violence and foot-dragging on both sides.

According to the “road map,” Palestinians are to dismantle violent groups, and Israel is to halt the building of settlements and take down unauthorised outposts.

Neither side has carried out these obligations.

Israel insists that the plan is sequential – a halt to all violence must be the first step – but the Palestinians say the measures must be carried out simultaneously.

The United States favours the Palestinian interpretation.

Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel, has long been a mediator in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but Israel has perceived Cairo as favouring the Palestinians in recent years.

Egypt withdrew its ambassador in protest against Israeli actions shortly after the current round of violence erupted in September 2000.

Meanwhile, Israel’s vice premier, Ehud Olmert, warned that an unprecedented confrontation with Jewish settlers loomed as a result of Sharon’s “unilateral steps” plan, which includes removing some settlements in Gaza and the West Bank.

“I have no doubt there be a very painful, difficult, heartbreaking process, and a confrontation of [previously] unknown proportion in the life of this country,” Olmert said.

“It’s a serious crisis ... There’s no doubt about it. I expect it to be very emotional and very confrontational.”