Analysis: Tension between allies

Arab leaders think the new US administration is too indulgent towards Ariel Sharon

By Roger Hardy Middle East analyst

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is the first Arab leader to meet George Bush since he entered the White House.

Egypt is one of America's main Arab allies, but the question remains on how far the two leaders see eye to eye on the continuing violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Mubarak wants to accentuate the positive

Though President Mubarak is likely to be received with the courtesy due to a long-time ally, his visit comes at a time of tension in relations between the Arabs and Washington.

A few days ago, a senior US official was unusually blunt in criticising the tough anti-Israeli tone of the recent Arab summit in Jordan.

The official, Edward Walker, accused the Egyptian media of anti-Semitism and said President Mubarak was wrong to have withdrawn his ambassador from Israel last year.

Sympathy for Sharon

Arab leaders, for their part, think the new US administration is being too indulgent towards Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, whom they regard as a dangerous extremist.

Behind all this lie serious differences over the two big issues in the Middle East - the Palestinian intifada and Iraq.

But President Mubarak, and King Abdullah of Jordan, who will be visiting the White House a few days after him, wants to accentuate the positive.

The US criticised the anti-Israeli tone of the Arab summit

They have a plan, which they hope might curb the violence and get Israelis and Palestinians back into negotiations.

Even if the plan's chances of success are negligible, the message to George Bush is clear, whatever their differences, Washington and its Arab allies continue to need one another.