Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak accused the United States on Tuesday of allowing Israel to divert the war on terrorism to a campaign against Palestinians. In a nationally televised speech marking May Day, Mubarak said the United States and other world leaders have ignored all promises and assurances working towards a just and comprehensive settlement of the Israeli Palestinian question and instead concentrated on security issues and neglected their pivotal role in preparing a suitable atmosphere for political negotiations.

"This led to diverting the campaign against terrorism toward a new direction that aims to achieve political gains for Israel at the expense of the Arab and Islamic countries and to use this campaign to destroy legitimate Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation. That, he said, was a sudden change in the direction of the war against terrorism.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has compared the Palestinian militants his occupation troops are looking for in Palestinian areas to the Sept. 11 hijackers.

Mubarak rejected the comparison, saying it was "unjust to compare the United States' war against terrorism in Afghanistan with Israel's war against unarmed Palestinians who are resisting occupation."

Mubarak also noted U.S. success in getting Israel to agree to lift its siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's offices adding that the move proves the strong intervention of the United States ... can bring about a real political breakthrough that could lead to security and stability in the region.

Mubarak has repeatedly called on the United States to pressure Israel.