Egypt calls for Palestinian state

Egypt has made a fresh call for an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Speaking during the Moslem holiday of The Night of Determination, President Hosni Mubarak said the Palestinian people suffer from Israeli occupation just about as much as from the constant bickering by its own leaders.

As the main regional mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian talks, Egypt will bend every effort possible to put the peace process back on track and reunite the Palestinians, Mubarak said.