From various reports I had already figured that Egypt and Israel had some secret understanding regarding Isreal’s planned attack on Hamas. I knew that the Egyptian government was furious with Hamas. But I never expected to see the above expressed on Egyptian prime time television in Arabic by Egypt’s Foreign Minister. Regardless of what Arab leaders think in private, they are not supposed to say things like this in public.

Granted, the clip is short and I am sure if I had a full transcript of what he said I would find that he made some kind of pro forma denouncements of Israel. Still, I admire his forthrightness.

However, if I was a life insurance company I would deny him coverage. There is a reason why he went on television to say this and not Mubarak.