Former Defense Minister Ezer Weizman left for Cairo today for a two-day visit to express his condolences to Jihan Sadat on the murder of her husband, President Anwar Sadat. Weizman had wanted to join the official Israeli delegation which went to Cairo to attend the funeral last Saturday but his proposal was rejected by Premier Menachem Begin who took the Defense, Foreign Affairs and Interior Affairs Ministers only.
Weizman is regarded as the Israeli Minister closest to both the late President and his successor, Hosni Mubarak. Labor Party chairman, Shimon Peres, who had also suggested joining a national delegation to the funeral and was also rejected, is to visit Cairo for a condolence visit during the 40-day mourning period.
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