Netanyahu: Does Hizbullah Promote Human Rights?

Israel's prime minister has said Iran wants to take advantage of the chaos in Egypt to create "another Gaza" there and warned that Islamic parties have already taken over power by democratic means in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza.

Speaking before the Israeli parliament on Wednesday, Benjamin Netanyahu said he expects any new government in Egypt to honor its three-decade-long peace agreement with Israel.

"Is there freedom in Iran? Is there democracy in Gaza? Does Hizbullah promote human rights?" he asked. "They (Iranians) want an Egypt that goes back to the Middle Ages. They want Egypt to turn into another Gaza, that will be run by radical forces that are against everything we want, everything the democratic world stands for."

After initially keeping a low profile over the unrest, Netanyahu has in recent days been warning of the dangers posed by instability in Egypt.

Egypt became the first Arab nation to sign a peace accord with Israel in 1979 and has strictly honored it. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has close ties to Israeli leaders and has acted as a bridge between Israel and the Palestinians to the broader Arab world.

Netanyahu said that a more democratic Egypt would not pose a threat to Israel. He called on the international community to insist that whoever takes over power in Egypt remains committed to peace with Israel.(AP-Naharnet)