Hoss: Egyptian mediator should note Gaza΄s victory

Source: nowlebanon.com, 19-01-2009

Former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss said that the mere willpower of the Gazans was a victory in and of itself, and it resembled what had happened in Lebanon during the 2006 July War. Hoss added that the Arab populations took an honorable stand in their protests to what was happening in Gaza, unlike the Arab leaders' weak and suspicious stances.

In a statement issued by the National Unity Forum on Monday, Hoss said that Egypt's position during the Gaza offensive varied between suspicious and constructive, as it tried to mediate between the Palestinians and "Israelis", "since it is the most open regime to the ‘Israeli' enemy, and it can play the role of the messenger between ‘Israel' and Palestine."

He said he hoped Egypt would take into consideration the conditions of the struggling Gazans, adding they should not be forced into making any moves, within the framework of a solution, which would fail the achieved victory.

Hoss stressed that the Arab mediator should be fair, saying any request to deploy international forces in Gaza alone would be wrong. "Why aren't these forces fairly deployed on both sides of the borders? Its presence on the "Israeli" side would guarantee Gaza's security," he said.
Hoss asked, "Why doesn't Egypt include in its constructive initiative other Arab countries to achieve a unified Arab position?"