VZCZCXRO4933
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #2207 1981518
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171518Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6165
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS CAIRO 002207 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT AND ARAB LEAGUE PUBLIC 
REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT'S JULY 17 SPEECH 
 
¶1. The official Egyptian and Arab League initial public 
reactions to the President's July 16 speech on the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict were mostly favorable.  Egyptian 
Presidential Spokesman Soliman Awwad said (according to an 
unofficial embassy translation) that, as President Mubarak 
has repeatedly noted, the Palestinian issue is the root cause 
of the problems in the Middle East.  The "road to Baghdad 
leads through Jerusalem," he said, and the coming days will 
require "serious international movement" to realize President 
Bush's vision.  Awwad praised President Bush's "clear call" 
upon Israeli Prime Minister Olmert to release all funds to 
the Palestinian people and to cease illegal settlement 
activity.  Awwad said Egypt supports President Bush's call 
for Israel to stop building the isolation barrier, which 
divides Palestinian lands in a way that does not permit the 
Palestinian people to establish their state. 
 
¶2. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit also praised 
several "positive elements" of the speech that could be built 
upon, particularly the need to "end the occupation" and 
establishment of a viable, territorially-integrated 
Palestinian state.  He welcomed additional US economic 
assistance for the Palestinian people, but noted that removal 
of settlements on Palestinian lands, as opposed to merely 
stopping expansion, is necessary, and added that any 
settlement must be based on the "1967 borders."  He commended 
the U.S. administration's "interest" in the Arab Peace 
Initiative, and said that the current situation should compel 
both sides to return to negotiations on final status issues 
immediately. 
 
¶3. Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa issued a 
statement "welcoming several positive elements" of the 
speech, especially regarding the President's view that Israel 
should stop settlement expansion and remove illegal outposts, 
"end the occupation," and reach agreement on final status 
issues such as Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.  He also 
welcomed the financial assistance package that the President 
announced for the Palestinian people. 
 
RICCIARDONE