Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday called for the international community to support ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting peace in the Gaza Strip. “I hope for the continuation of this (international) support for our efforts to consolidate the ceasefire,” Mubarak told a summit of European and Arab leaders on the Gaza crisis in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. He also called for support “in the stage that follows that will guarantee a withdrawal of Israeli troops and the reopening of crossing points” into Gaza. He questioned the efficiency of the violent struggle against Israel. “We support the right to resistance, but feel it should be responsible,” Mubarak said. “We believe that resistance, like the decision to start a war, should be responsible, and should be subject to profit and loss calculations.” The president continued to say, “There are factions that admit the balance of power leans very much in Israel's favor, and it will take many years to reach a balance of power. Should the Palestinian people wait that long?” “You all know that efforts Egypt had undertaken to extend the ceasefire and our warnings that a refusal by factions to extend it was an open invitation to Israeli aggression,” Mubarak told the summit of Arab leaders. He said Egypt would continue its efforts to achieve a reconciliation between Palestinians. “Without it (Palestinian unity) no stability will be realized for Gaza and no rebuilding and no end for its embargo,” Mubarak said.
