BARCELONA, Spain, April 26, 2008 (AFP) - Under-fire FIA president Max Mosley insisted Saturday he understood perfectly the reasoning as to why an offer to visit Israel had been withdrawn.

Mosley had received an official invite from the Israeli Minister of Science, Culture and Sport, Galeb Majadle, to discuss the future of motor sport in the country.

However, Majadle, who extended the offer to Mosley this week after they met at the inaugural World Rally Championship in Jordan, was unaware of the scandal surrounding the 68-year-old.

The president of motor racing´s ruling body has been fighting to save his job after a newspaper reported he was involved in a sado-masochistic Nazi-style sex orgy with five prostitutes in London last month.

That led to the Israeli ministry issuing a statement that read: "Once the scandal was brought to the minister´s attention, he has requested to withdraw immediately any official invitation to Mosley until the matter is reviewed more thoroughly once back in Israel."

In response, the Federation International de l´Automobile (FIA) issued a statement, with Mosley fully appreciating the position taken by Majadle.

It read: "The FIA is grateful to Galeb Majadle for extending an invitation to visit Israel.

"The FIA is delighted with the recent legalisation of motor sport in the country and intends to offer the minister every assistance in what promises to be a major addition to motor sport in the region.

"The FIA understands the circumstances under which the minister´s invitation has now been withdrawn."

In the statement, Mosley was quoted as saying: "I fully understand the minister´s position and look forward to resuming contact with him when the News of the World´s deliberate and calculated lies have been comprehensively refuted."

Mosley on Friday confirmed he will be at next month´s Monaco Grand Prix, where he has a home.