CAIRO, Egypt — Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said Tuesday he was undaunted by his attack at the hands of Islamic extremists in Jerusalem a day earlier, saying the incident would only strengthen his country's resolve to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Egypt's tightly controlled press was less upbeat, however, denouncing the "criminal" attack on the country's top diplomat at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque — Islam's third holiest shrine — following a rare meeting Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
"We are working so the Palestinian people can regain their rights and achieve peace and sovereignty and establish a Palestinian state," Maher said upon his return to Cairo early Tuesday. He was accompanied in the plane by diplomats and a doctor from Israel.
"(The attack) is a passing matter that doesn't affect the essence of the Egyptian policy. Nothing will change that."
Farouk Kaddoumi, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization's political department, arrived in Cairo later Tuesday to apologize to Maher.
"My main mission in coming to Egypt, upon the mandate of Palestinian President (Yasser) Arafat, is to present our extreme apology for what happened to Mr. Ahmed Maher during his visit to Jerusalem," Kaddoumi told reporters at the airport.
He called the attackers "a rogue group that has no connection to the Palestinian people."
The attack, committed by several dozen protesters belonging to a small extremist group called the Islamic Liberation Movement, came after Maher was given a strong indication from the Israelis that while they would not sign a truce with Palestinian militants, they would abide by a cease-fire.
Protesters shoved Maher and hurled verbal abuse, saying "You're not welcome here!" They charged that Egypt was helping Israel oppress the Palestinians. "You are collaborating with the killers of Muslims!" one shouted.
Israeli police arrested seven suspects in the attack on Maher, who was making his first to Israel in more than two years.
Egyptian newspapers carried front-page stories denouncing the incident, along with photographs of a visibly shaken Maher being led through the mosque compound by police and security guards.
The semiofficial Al-Akhbar carried the headline: "A criminal attack carried out by a group of Palestinians on Ahmed Maher at Al Aqsa Mosque," while the more conservative Al-Ahram blared across its front page: "Ahmed Maher saved from a despicable attack inside Al Aqsa Mosque after peace mission to Israel."
Ghassan Charbel, the assistant deputy editor of the London-based daily Al Hayat, wrote in his column that the attack was "a dangerous incident, hard to believe and unbearable."
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa told Egypt's Middle East News Agency while visiting Kuwait on Tuesday that "we are sorry for such an assault, which could never serve Arab interests."
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's office issued a statement Monday denouncing the "irresponsible" attack, pledging that it "will not derail Egypt's efforts to achieve a resumption of Palestinian-Israeli talks, with the effective participation of other peace-loving partners."
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that Maher presented Mubarak with a report of his talks with Israeli officials and the attack at Al Aqsa. It was unclear if Maher will make a scheduled visit to Ramallah next week with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman for talks with Palestinian Authority officials.