Jerusalem: Israel had offered deposed
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak political asylum but he
turned it down as he is a "patriot", an Israeli lawmaker
considered close to him said on Thursday.
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, former minister and a prominent
Labour party leader, told the Army Radio that he and Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had offered Mubarak political
asylum several months ago.
He said he met Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh and told him
about the offer and that "it might be a good chance to heal
himself."
"I am convinced that the Israel government would have
accepted him but he declined (the offer) because he was a
patriot," he said.
Ben-Eliezer`s statement comes on a day when Mubarak is
standing trial in a Cairo court on charges of conspiring to
kill protesters during demonstrations that led to his ouster
earlier this year and abuse of power to acquire wealth.
PTI
