Post by Salem6 on Dec 22, 2003 19:09:33 GMT
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher has been taken to hospital after an incident at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque.
Mr Maher became unwell after being jostled by angry Muslims as he came to pray at the holy site.
Maher has been seen since back on his feet
Bodyguards surrounded the minister and whisked him out of the compound to an Israeli hospital.
Mr Maher was in Israel for talks with Israeli leaders about resuming peace talks with the Palestinians, his first visit to the country for two years.
Correspondents say his assailants are likely to have been angered by the talks between the minister of an Arab Muslim nation and Israel, which they regard as an illegitimate state on Arab land.
The BBC's Jill McGivering, in Jerusalem, says the incident is sure to cause some embarrassment for the Israelis.
Muslim militants - possibly Palestinians - apparently tried to pelt the minister with shoes both inside and outside the mosque - and Mr Maher subsequently complained of being short of breath.
Ahmed Maher
Witnesses told the AP news agency that the minister was heard saying, "I'm going to choke, I'm going to choke" as he was being taken away from the mosque.
A spokeswoman for Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem confirmed that the minister was transferred to the hospital for treatment in a conscious state.
Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority "firmly condemned" the attack, Palestinian Negotiations Minister Saeb Erakat told AFP.
Peace talks
Mr Maher's visit to the mosque came after he had held a series of meetings with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.
Egypt has been stepping up attempts in recent weeks to help break the deadlock between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Speaking after the talks, Mr Maher said he had a commitment from Israel to resume negotiations as soon as possible and he emphasised what he said was Israel's desire to co-operate.
The al-Aqsa Mosque is at the Temple Mount site - known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif - and is the third most holy site in Islam.
On 20 July 1951, while visiting the al-Aqsa Mosque, King Abdullah of Jordan was assassinated by a Palestinian gunman.
Video:-
The BBC's James Reynolds
"Police sources are saying he was able to walk out of the compound"news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39666000/rm/_39666115_attack16_reynolds_vi.ram
Mr Maher became unwell after being jostled by angry Muslims as he came to pray at the holy site.
Maher has been seen since back on his feet
Bodyguards surrounded the minister and whisked him out of the compound to an Israeli hospital.
Mr Maher was in Israel for talks with Israeli leaders about resuming peace talks with the Palestinians, his first visit to the country for two years.
Correspondents say his assailants are likely to have been angered by the talks between the minister of an Arab Muslim nation and Israel, which they regard as an illegitimate state on Arab land.
The BBC's Jill McGivering, in Jerusalem, says the incident is sure to cause some embarrassment for the Israelis.
Muslim militants - possibly Palestinians - apparently tried to pelt the minister with shoes both inside and outside the mosque - and Mr Maher subsequently complained of being short of breath.
Ahmed Maher
Witnesses told the AP news agency that the minister was heard saying, "I'm going to choke, I'm going to choke" as he was being taken away from the mosque.
A spokeswoman for Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem confirmed that the minister was transferred to the hospital for treatment in a conscious state.
Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority "firmly condemned" the attack, Palestinian Negotiations Minister Saeb Erakat told AFP.
Peace talks
Mr Maher's visit to the mosque came after he had held a series of meetings with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.
Egypt has been stepping up attempts in recent weeks to help break the deadlock between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Speaking after the talks, Mr Maher said he had a commitment from Israel to resume negotiations as soon as possible and he emphasised what he said was Israel's desire to co-operate.
The al-Aqsa Mosque is at the Temple Mount site - known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif - and is the third most holy site in Islam.
On 20 July 1951, while visiting the al-Aqsa Mosque, King Abdullah of Jordan was assassinated by a Palestinian gunman.
Video:-
The BBC's James Reynolds
"Police sources are saying he was able to walk out of the compound"news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39666000/rm/_39666115_attack16_reynolds_vi.ram
