JERUSALEM, Oct 29: Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday called Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to apologise for inflammatory comments made against him by an Israeli lawmaker.

Avigdor Lieberman of the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party was speaking before parliament when he complained that Israeli leaders frequently visit Egypt but Mr Mubarak has never made a return visit to Israel.

“If he wants to speak with us then let him come over here. If he doesn’t want to come, then he can go to hell,” Lieberman said.

Peres and Olmert condemned the comments and expressed their respect toward Mubarak and Egypt in the calls. Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, but relations have often been frosty since.—AP