20110210
presstv
A US media report has revealed that Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE have followed Israel to ask the United States to lift the pressure on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to resign.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that according to some US diplomats, the four countries have repeatedly requested that Washington remove pressures on Mubarak in an attempt to avoid destabilizing the region.

A US envoy to the Middle East has said he has spent 12 hours on the phone discussing the issue with US officials.

According to a statement released by the United Arab Emirates, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi talked with US President Barack Obama on Sunday and emphasized the need for “stability” in crisis-hit Egypt.

Last week, Obama also talked with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah about their stances on the issue.

According to Arab officials, all Arab leaders have sent similar messages to Obama, saying his statement last week about the need for an immediate power transition in Egypt could have been too hasty.

Meanwhile, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom has strictly rejected the establishment of democracy in Egypt, saying it could strengthen what he called “radical elements” in the North African country.

The comments came amid popular revolution in Egypt against the country's three-decade-long regime of President Hosni Mubarak.

The revolution, which started on January 25, has been severely confronted by Egyptian security forces. Since then, more than 300 people have lost their lives, reports say.

On Wednesday, US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak at the White House, with the understanding that the revolution in Egypt is going to omit Tel Aviv's key ally in the region.

After the meeting, the White House announced “unshakable commitment” to Israel's security.