Faruk Hosny asks for forgiveness

The Egyptian Minister for Culture Faruk Hosny, whose candidacy for the post of Unesco director-general is highly controversial, apologises in the daily Le Monde for anti-Israeli statements he made in the past: "I was expressing my dismay at the fate of an entire people [the Palestinians] who have been deprived of their land and rights. What human conscience could remain impassive in the face of such misfortune? I never intended to disregard or hurt anyone. … I would like to point out that for years I have been the minister of a land that has made peace with Israel. … I know that peace is coupled with understanding and respect. In the name of these values, which I too hold dear, I would like to come back to the words I said in May 2008 and which were interpreted as a call to burn Hebrew books. … I would like to say that I regret having said those words."

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