Rumors of Mubarak's deteriorating health growing stronger

[S'13]

Talks between Mubarak and Qureia cancelled for 'unknown reasons'

By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service

A meeting between Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo was cancelled shortly before it was due to begin Thursday.

The reasons for the cancellation were not made clear, but there are suspicions the president's poor health led to the canceling of the meeting.

Palestinian sources said Qureia would instead hold talks with the head of Egyptian intelligence, Omar Suleiman.

Rumors circulated Wednesday that Mubarak's health had seriously deteriorated and images of the president meeting with outgoing CIA chief George Tenet were broadcast on Egyptian state television Thursday evening to dispel the rumors.

Sources in Qureia's entourage said he would leave Cairo following his meeting with Suleiman.

The meeting between the Palestinian and Egyptian leaders was to focus on preparations for the coming round of talks among Palestinian factions early next month, said the Palestinian representative to the Arab League, Mohammed Sobeih.

Suleiman is the key player in the talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on what Egypt can do to help the Palestinians after Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has pledged that Israel will evacuate Gaza by the end of 2005 as part of his revised disengagement plan, which also includes evacuating four small West Bank settlements.

The Egyptians have tried to secure the agreement of Palestinian militant factions in Gaza, primarily Hamas and Islamic Jihad, to stop attacks against Israel so the that planned Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip can proceed smoothly.

Qureia arrived in Egypt on Wednesday night, following the meeting between Mubarak and Tenet, to discuss Egypt's role in assisting the Palestinians after the withdrawal.

Egyptian television said Suleiman and U.S. Ambassador David Welch also attended the meeting.

Mubarak told reporters that his country's role, with the support of the United States, might be expanded to include the West Bank, the Egyptian Middle East News Agency said after Wednesday's meeting.

"We offered training to the Palestinians to preserve peace and stop the continued acts of violence," MENA quoted Muabrak as saying.

"We have agreed on that with the support of the United States and it will not be in Gaza only, but might be extended to include the West Bank."

If Israel pulls out, Egypt intends to increase the number of troops on its side of the border with Gaza and send security advisers to Gaza to help train Palestinian forces. Egypt will also help build new police stations and jails in Gaza.

Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, has been careful to maintain that it is not helping Israel but rather defending its own borders against instability.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/440227.html

[oldsoak]

Should he wish to retire, who are the possible replacements and what are their attitudes to Israel ?

[S'13]

Should he wish to retire, who are the possible replacements and what are their attitudes to Israel ?

I guess that is the 65 million Dollar question :lol: p-)

[Moledet]

That's very disturbing, he is not a great leader or a good leader for Israel, but his successor will probably be worse.

[S'13]

Since he first became the leader of Egypt after Sadat's assassination, Mubarak has delt with Islamic extremists with a heavy hand and has been very successful. However there is no telling whether his successor will do the same.
For all we know the Egyptian people could carry out a revolution after his leadership ends and the current regime which is friendly to U.S and Israel (to some extent :roll: ) will be a thing of the past...

[Moledet]

Since he first became the leader of Egypt after Sadat's assassination, Mubarak has delt with Islamic extremists with a heavy hand, and has been very successful.However, there is no telling whether his successor will do the same.
For all we know the Egyptian people could carry out a revolution after his leadership ends and the current regime which is friendly to U.S and Israel (to some extent :roll: ) will be a thing of the past...
Egypt in his time made excercises that demontsrate a war between Israel and Egypt and a take over of Egypt on Jersualem. I don't find him to be friendly at all, but he definetly doesn't have the balls to attack Israel while his successor might have the courage that is needed.

[S'13]

Since he first became the leader of Egypt after Sadat's assassination, Mubarak has delt with Islamic extremists with a heavy hand, and has been very successful.However, there is no telling whether his successor will do the same.
For all we know the Egyptian people could carry out a revolution after his leadership ends and the current regime which is friendly to U.S and Israel (to some extent :roll: ) will be a thing of the past...
Egypt in his time made excercises that demontsrate a war between Israel and Egypt and a take over of Egypt on Jersualem. I don't find him to be friendly at all, but he definetly doesn't have the balls to attack Israel while his successor might have the courage that is needed.

It is well known that the peace between our two nations is a cold one and that Egypt still poses a threat, notice that I wrote that Egypt is friendly to Israel to some extent...

I totaly agree with you that while we may have a "cold peace" with Mubarak in power, his successor might bring a hot war.

[Moledet]

I think that now it's official, Al Haram ("The Pyramids"-the Egyptian government newspaper) has published that until the end of this month the government will resign and Mubarak will find a new successor that will build a new government.

P.S. I guess that now they gonna blame Israel for making his health condiiton not good.

[Midav]

I wouldn't be suprised.

Hope the new successor is on the same level towards Israel, if not better, than Mubarak.

[talib_killa34]

Great. :(

Now, what's next Pakistan has another coup and a radical muslim state with nukes takes over?

[Milkman]

Great. :(

Now, what's next Pakistan has another coup and a radical muslim state with nukes takes over?
Somehow I don't think anyone (Including the UN) would let that happen.

[talib_killa34]

Great. :(

Now, what's next Pakistan has another coup and a radical muslim state with nukes takes over?
Somehow I don't think anyone (Including the UN) would let that happen.


Well, I'd like to see what they would do about it.

Ballistic missile "snatch-and-grab"? :P

[gbos]

Great. :(

Now, what's next Pakistan has another coup and a radical muslim state with nukes takes over?
Somehow I don't think anyone (Including the UN) would let that happen.

Yes indeed! When they will see this guy Coffee they will piss their underwear :).

[S'13]

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expected to make large of senior appointments due to his poor health according to channel 2 news in Israel.

[Pille1234]

I somehow believe it's something more than a slipped disc



Mubarak tries to reassure Egyptians in message from German hospital


Gaunt, pale, President promises to ‘continue march’, prepares for extended absence.


By Hassen Zenati – CAIRO

A gaunt and pale President Hosni Mubarak, clad in pyjamas and a dressing gown, addressed the Egyptian people on Thursday from his hospital room in Germany to try to reassure them over his health.


In a brief statement aired on state television, the 76-year-old Mubarak also sought to prepare his people for an extended absence.


"Rest assured I will return as soon as I complete my treatment so that we can continue together our march," said Mubarak who is being treated in an exclusive clinic in Munich, southern German for a slipped disc.


"I am currently following a treatment. The doctors are excellent and have said they will not carry out surgery until they are sure that the treatment is having results," he said.


"It will take time, but not too much."


But the president admitted that if the therapy failed he would have to undergo surgery. He did not elaborate.


Doctors have delayed an initial decision to operate on Mubarak to try out a new medication.


"The general state of the president's health is excellent," Egyptian Health Minister Awad Tajeddin told state television on Wednesday from Germany.


Speaking by a satellite telephone link, Mubarak said his absence from Egypt should be seen as a week's holiday.


"It is as if I took a week's holiday. Don't you ever take time off? One has to rest a bit," he said, speaking for about a minute.


His tone of voice switched from formal to emotional, and the president, using popular dialect, addressed the Egyptian people like a father speaking to his son.


"I thank my people who are worried over my health," he said.


Mubarak also reassured the Egyptian people that despite his hospitalisation, he was "directing work from here up to a certain point" and the "government is working" even during his absence.


"There is no problem. If the (cabinet) ministers need something I speak to them," he said.


The Egyptian president flew to Germany on Sunday and officials said at the time he would be away for between five days and a week.


But according to medical sources his stay at the private Orthozentrum orthopedic clinic in Munich where he was admitted Monday, will likely last longer.


Upon his return to Egypt he would be expected to observe a long period of convalescence, avoid any sudden movement and rest, medical sources said.


Religious Affairs Minister Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq, meanwhile, has asked imams at Egypt's 87,000 mosques to conduct special prayers on Friday for Mubarak's "speedy recovery and return to the homeland".


A Christian Coptic priest, meanwhile, was shown delivering a message of support to Mubarak on state television.


"Your illness ails us. We are praying for you in our mosques and in our churches," the unnamed priest said. Copts account for at least 5.8 million of Egypt's 70 million population, according to official figures.


Mubarak's sudden departure to Germany has left Egyptians not only concerned about his welfare but also anxious at the political void left by the lack of a vice president.


But before leaving, Mubarak, who has been president of Egypt for the past 23 years, delegated his constitutional powers to outgoing Prime Minister Atef Ebeid.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/egypt/?id=10412