9 aug 2013
Several Egyptian militants were killed in an airstrike in Sinai on Friday as they prepared to launch a rocket into Israel, security sources and witnesses said.
The source of the strike was not immediately clear. Some sources spoke of an Israeli airstrike conducted from Israeli air space and others credited the Egyptian military.
But Egypt's military denied any Israeli strike.
"There is no truth whatsoever to any Israeli strikes inside Egyptian territory and the claims that there is Egyptian and Israeli coordination on the matter is utterly baseless," military spokesman Col. Ahmed Aly said in a statement.
He said the armed forces and expert teams were still combing the area where two explosions were heard.
State media said at least five members of a cell led by local Islamist militants were killed in the raid.
Earlier, Egypt's army said two explosions were heard at around 4:15 p.m. in the Al-Ojra area, around 1.8 miles from the border with Israel.
"The armed forces are combing the area of the explosions to find out the cause," Aly said.
Witnesses said Egyptian military helicopters hovered above the site after the blasts.
Israel's military on Thursday ordered the cancellation of all flights in and out of the Red Sea resort of Eilat, which borders Egypt, due to what is said was a security threat.
Last month, Israel deployed a battery of its Iron Dome missile defense system near Eilat, which has been a target of attacks in the past.
In April the town was struck by rocket fire from the Sinai, and debris from a rocket that hit northern Eilat on July 4 was found days later.
Egypt's army is currently engaged in an offensive in Sinai to curtail a surge in violence since Islamist president Mohamed Mursi was ousted on July 3 in a military-led coup.
The source of the strike was not immediately clear. Some sources spoke of an Israeli airstrike conducted from Israeli air space and others credited the Egyptian military.
But Egypt's military denied any Israeli strike.
"There is no truth whatsoever to any Israeli strikes inside Egyptian territory and the claims that there is Egyptian and Israeli coordination on the matter is utterly baseless," military spokesman Col. Ahmed Aly said in a statement.
He said the armed forces and expert teams were still combing the area where two explosions were heard.
State media said at least five members of a cell led by local Islamist militants were killed in the raid.
Earlier, Egypt's army said two explosions were heard at around 4:15 p.m. in the Al-Ojra area, around 1.8 miles from the border with Israel.
"The armed forces are combing the area of the explosions to find out the cause," Aly said.
Witnesses said Egyptian military helicopters hovered above the site after the blasts.
Israel's military on Thursday ordered the cancellation of all flights in and out of the Red Sea resort of Eilat, which borders Egypt, due to what is said was a security threat.
Last month, Israel deployed a battery of its Iron Dome missile defense system near Eilat, which has been a target of attacks in the past.
In April the town was struck by rocket fire from the Sinai, and debris from a rocket that hit northern Eilat on July 4 was found days later.
Egypt's army is currently engaged in an offensive in Sinai to curtail a surge in violence since Islamist president Mohamed Mursi was ousted on July 3 in a military-led coup.
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At least five people have been killed in an attack carried out by an Israeli drone in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian security officials say.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Friday that the victims were militants and that Israeli attack was carried out in cooperation with Egyptian army in the restive peninsula. Last month, Tel Aviv said it had installed rocket launchers near the Sinai Peninsula to counter possible attacks from militants fighting the Egyptian government in the Peninsula. The Israeli military also deployed the Iron Dome missile system in several areas on Egypt’s border. |
The Sinai Peninsula has been witnessing a surge in deadly violence since the ouster of former president, Mohamed Morsi, by the army in early June.
On August 7, unknown gunmen shot and killed an Egyptian politician identified as Abdel Hamid Selmi in Sinai’s northern town of el-Arish.
On August 5, an Egyptian soldier was killed and two others injured in two separate attacks in the restive peninsula.
Meanwhile, the state news agency, MENA, said in a report that on August 4 unknown militants carried out bomb attacks against two Islamic shrines near the North Sinai town of Bir el-Abd and the area of el-Maghara farther south.
In another incident on the same day, one police officer was injured in a militant attack on a police club in el-Arish.
In July, there were reports of attacks on military checkpoints in Sinai.
Israeli airstrike targeting Egyptian Rafah kills five
Media and security sources said that an Israeli drone on Friday afternoon carried out an airstrike against the Egyptian border city of Rafah killing five Egyptians. The drone allegedly targeted a jihadist group in the city according to Israeli sources.
The sources said that the attack was carried out in coordination with the Egyptian army, the Egyptian army however denied any Israeli attacks taking place after saying earlier that it was investigating explosions in the area.
On August 7, unknown gunmen shot and killed an Egyptian politician identified as Abdel Hamid Selmi in Sinai’s northern town of el-Arish.
On August 5, an Egyptian soldier was killed and two others injured in two separate attacks in the restive peninsula.
Meanwhile, the state news agency, MENA, said in a report that on August 4 unknown militants carried out bomb attacks against two Islamic shrines near the North Sinai town of Bir el-Abd and the area of el-Maghara farther south.
In another incident on the same day, one police officer was injured in a militant attack on a police club in el-Arish.
In July, there were reports of attacks on military checkpoints in Sinai.
Israeli airstrike targeting Egyptian Rafah kills five
Media and security sources said that an Israeli drone on Friday afternoon carried out an airstrike against the Egyptian border city of Rafah killing five Egyptians. The drone allegedly targeted a jihadist group in the city according to Israeli sources.
The sources said that the attack was carried out in coordination with the Egyptian army, the Egyptian army however denied any Israeli attacks taking place after saying earlier that it was investigating explosions in the area.
A senior military source told Ma'an Friday that Israeli authorities shut down Eilat's airport after Egypt sent a warning about an attack originating in the Sinai.
Egyptian intelligence agents feared that armed groups were preparing to target security buildings in the Sinai including sites along the Suez canal.
Military sources told Ma'an that Egyptian airplanes and helicopters were flying over the Sinai to track down the would-be attackers, but there were no immediate reports of clashes.
The airport in Israel's Red Sea resort resumed flights on Thursday after a brief shutdown over unspecified security concerns, the military said.
"The airport is open after a new situation report," a spokeswoman told AFP, without further explanation.
The military earlier ordered the cancellation of all flights in and out of Eilat for about two hours following a security assessment, but gave no details of the possible threat.
Only domestic flights had been scheduled to land or take off from the southern town.
Egyptian intelligence agents feared that armed groups were preparing to target security buildings in the Sinai including sites along the Suez canal.
Military sources told Ma'an that Egyptian airplanes and helicopters were flying over the Sinai to track down the would-be attackers, but there were no immediate reports of clashes.
The airport in Israel's Red Sea resort resumed flights on Thursday after a brief shutdown over unspecified security concerns, the military said.
"The airport is open after a new situation report," a spokeswoman told AFP, without further explanation.
The military earlier ordered the cancellation of all flights in and out of Eilat for about two hours following a security assessment, but gave no details of the possible threat.
Only domestic flights had been scheduled to land or take off from the southern town.
7 aug 2013
Hamas movement has presented new documents that prove Fatah’s involvement in the Egyptian incitement campaign against the movement. These new documents reveal a part of the plot intended by the Fatah-controlled Palestinian authority (PA) to incite against the Movement and the besieged Palestinians in the Gaza strip, the movement said in its statement.
The Movement presented three new documents addressed to Majid Faraj, the head of the Palestinian Authority General Intelligence Service, accusing Hamas of allegedly smuggling weapons to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and sending 100 members of the Qassam Brigades to Sinai in order to support Muslim Brotherhood.
Another documents claimed that 20 elements of Qassam Brigades were sent to Cairo to secure deputy head of Hamas political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk's house.
According to the mentioned documents, there are shared information and field coordination between PA and Egyptian security services.
A smear campaign was waged by Egyptian media against Hamas movement and Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip besieged since 2006.
The Movement presented three new documents addressed to Majid Faraj, the head of the Palestinian Authority General Intelligence Service, accusing Hamas of allegedly smuggling weapons to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and sending 100 members of the Qassam Brigades to Sinai in order to support Muslim Brotherhood.
Another documents claimed that 20 elements of Qassam Brigades were sent to Cairo to secure deputy head of Hamas political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk's house.
According to the mentioned documents, there are shared information and field coordination between PA and Egyptian security services.
A smear campaign was waged by Egyptian media against Hamas movement and Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip besieged since 2006.
6 aug 2013
Hamas movement warned on Tuesday of a grave humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip as a result of the continued blockade. The movement said in a statement on Tuesday that the tightened measures at the Rafah border terminal (with Egypt) and the destruction of tunnels and the limited entry of goods via the Israeli-controlled Karm Abu Salem all point to an imminent humanitarian tragedy.
It said that such conditions herald an economic collapse and are designed to pressure Gaza into giving up resistance and endorsing negotiations that are meant to liquidate the Palestine cause.
Hamas warned of conducting such measures under flimsy security pretexts, adding that it had proven with documents that such pretexts were nothing but a suspicious media campaign aimed at securing political goals that are harmful to the Palestinian question.
Hamas affirmed, in conclusion, that the Palestinian people despite the pains would confront and foil all such goals.
It said that such conditions herald an economic collapse and are designed to pressure Gaza into giving up resistance and endorsing negotiations that are meant to liquidate the Palestine cause.
Hamas warned of conducting such measures under flimsy security pretexts, adding that it had proven with documents that such pretexts were nothing but a suspicious media campaign aimed at securing political goals that are harmful to the Palestinian question.
Hamas affirmed, in conclusion, that the Palestinian people despite the pains would confront and foil all such goals.
Since the closing of the Rafah crossing by the Egyptian army, the Gaza Strip has turned into a “big prison,” according to Hamas. Thousands have been stranded there, including students, patients and people holding visas and passports to other countries.
There has also been a shortage of fuels and basic necessities due to destroyed supply tunnels. The fuel shortage has caused hundreds of deaths in Gaza hospitals.
On Monday, around 285 truckloads containing a variety of necessities were delivered to the Gaza Strip, from Israel. There were also 150 tons of fuels, which will relieve the hospital emergency for now.
The trucks came via Kerem Shalom Crossing under the Coordination and Liaison Administration in Gaza. They also carried much needed construction materials.
The closing of Rafah has also impacted the number of foreign delegations that have been able to enter Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Foreign Ministry. While more than 180 delegations visited the Gaza Strip in the first six months of 2013, only two entered Gaza during July after the ouster of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.
There has also been a shortage of fuels and basic necessities due to destroyed supply tunnels. The fuel shortage has caused hundreds of deaths in Gaza hospitals.
On Monday, around 285 truckloads containing a variety of necessities were delivered to the Gaza Strip, from Israel. There were also 150 tons of fuels, which will relieve the hospital emergency for now.
The trucks came via Kerem Shalom Crossing under the Coordination and Liaison Administration in Gaza. They also carried much needed construction materials.
The closing of Rafah has also impacted the number of foreign delegations that have been able to enter Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Foreign Ministry. While more than 180 delegations visited the Gaza Strip in the first six months of 2013, only two entered Gaza during July after the ouster of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi.
5 aug 2013
Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are facing a fuel shortage, which has severely affected their ability to treat patients. The fuel is needed to power the hospitals’ generators.
The fuel shortage has caused almost 500 Palestinian deaths and hundreds more are at risk of dying if the generators cannot run.
The Egyptian army closed the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only point of entrance or exit on the 3rd of July, leaving thousands of people stranded. Egypt has also prevented the transport of basic necessities into the Gaza Strip via tunnels over the past few months. Several of the tunnels were flooded by the Egyptian army in February.
The Gaza Strip has been under a land, aerial and naval blockade by the Israeli regime for six years following the election of Hamas, a Palestinian resistance movement, to govern the territory.
The fuel shortage has caused almost 500 Palestinian deaths and hundreds more are at risk of dying if the generators cannot run.
The Egyptian army closed the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only point of entrance or exit on the 3rd of July, leaving thousands of people stranded. Egypt has also prevented the transport of basic necessities into the Gaza Strip via tunnels over the past few months. Several of the tunnels were flooded by the Egyptian army in February.
The Gaza Strip has been under a land, aerial and naval blockade by the Israeli regime for six years following the election of Hamas, a Palestinian resistance movement, to govern the territory.
4 aug 2013
Egyptian authorities have canceled a planned visit to Gaza by the Turkish Prime Minister, a popular Egyptian news site said Sunday.
Youm7, or the seventh day, quoted Egyptian diplomatic sources as saying that Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the Gaza Strip had been canceled following the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and subsequent change in government.
The Gaza trip was also canceled because of Erdogan's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, Youm7 reported.
A senior official in the ruling Hamas movement said in June that Erdogan was due to visit the coastal territory in July, but the Turkish leader's press secretary had stressed that the date was still undecided.
The Turkish leader has previously said his visit to Gaza would be aimed at pushing for an end to Israel's blockade on the tiny coastal territory which has been in place since 2006.
Egypt's state prosecutor said last week that ousted President Mohamed Mursi was detained for questioning over suspected collaboration with Hamas in attacks on police stations and prison breaks in early 2011.
Hamas condemned the move, saying it was "based on the premise that the Hamas movement is hostile," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP in response.
"This is a dangerous development, which confirms that the current powers in Egypt are giving up on national causes and even using these issues to deal with other parties -- first among them the Palestinian cause."
Youm7, or the seventh day, quoted Egyptian diplomatic sources as saying that Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the Gaza Strip had been canceled following the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and subsequent change in government.
The Gaza trip was also canceled because of Erdogan's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, Youm7 reported.
A senior official in the ruling Hamas movement said in June that Erdogan was due to visit the coastal territory in July, but the Turkish leader's press secretary had stressed that the date was still undecided.
The Turkish leader has previously said his visit to Gaza would be aimed at pushing for an end to Israel's blockade on the tiny coastal territory which has been in place since 2006.
Egypt's state prosecutor said last week that ousted President Mohamed Mursi was detained for questioning over suspected collaboration with Hamas in attacks on police stations and prison breaks in early 2011.
Hamas condemned the move, saying it was "based on the premise that the Hamas movement is hostile," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP in response.
"This is a dangerous development, which confirms that the current powers in Egypt are giving up on national causes and even using these issues to deal with other parties -- first among them the Palestinian cause."
Omar Shaban, specialist in economic affairs, warned of the continuation of the closure and demolition of tunnels that supplies the besieged Gaza Strip with basic necessities of life, by Egyptian authorities. Shaaban urged the Palestinian government to form a "crisis cell" of at least 80 people representative of the Palestinian political spectrum and international institutions to overcome this crisis.
This came during a workshop held by the General Administration of sectorial coordination of the Ministry of Planning, in the presence of Minister of Planning Dr Ala Rafati Din, a number of human rights activists, ministers, MPs and leaders of the private sector and institutions.
For his part, Dr. Adnan Abu Amer talked about Gaza's relationship with Israel in light of the coup in Egypt, pointing out that the Israeli state has welcomed the coup.
Abu Amer expected that the occupation would wage a new aggression on the Gaza Strip taking advantage of the world's preoccupation with the Egyptian file.
The attendees also condemned the campaign against the Gaza Strip launched by the Egyptian media with the participation of the some media in the West Bank.
This came during a workshop held by the General Administration of sectorial coordination of the Ministry of Planning, in the presence of Minister of Planning Dr Ala Rafati Din, a number of human rights activists, ministers, MPs and leaders of the private sector and institutions.
For his part, Dr. Adnan Abu Amer talked about Gaza's relationship with Israel in light of the coup in Egypt, pointing out that the Israeli state has welcomed the coup.
Abu Amer expected that the occupation would wage a new aggression on the Gaza Strip taking advantage of the world's preoccupation with the Egyptian file.
The attendees also condemned the campaign against the Gaza Strip launched by the Egyptian media with the participation of the some media in the West Bank.
A Palestinian researcher and activist in London said that the Palestinian resistance represents the Ummah’s spearhead in confronting Israeli occupation on the land of Palestine. Majed Al-Zeer, head of the Palestinian Return Centre in London, stressed on his Facebook page that the Palestinian resistance represents "the first line of defense, which defends all Arab and Islamic countries, mainly the neighboring countries including Egypt. It is an integral part of the defense of the Egyptian national security."
Zeer's comments come after the easing of the media campaign launched by some Egyptian media against the resistance and the Gaza Strip, after Hamas revealed a number of documents that confirm the involvement of leaders of PA and Fatah movement in the campaign of incitement against Gaza.
Zeer's comments come after the easing of the media campaign launched by some Egyptian media against the resistance and the Gaza Strip, after Hamas revealed a number of documents that confirm the involvement of leaders of PA and Fatah movement in the campaign of incitement against Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Samir Abu Zuhri said the latest remarks made by senior member of the Egyptian movement Tamarud, Mahmoud Al-Arabi, proved that Hamas does not interfere in Egyptian's internal affairs. Arabi stated on Thursday during a massive rally outside Ibrahim mosque in Alexandria that director of the investigation bureau Naser Al-Abed in the city prepared a gang of thugs, provided them with Al-Qassam Brigades uniforms and distributed pictures of them as Hamas resistance fighters.
Spokesman Abu Zuhri said, in a press release, that Arabi's remarks cleared Hamas of its alleged involvement in events in Egypt.
He called on the Egyptian authorities to investigate this incident, take legal action in this regard and end the systematic incitement campaign against Hamas.
Spokesman Abu Zuhri said, in a press release, that Arabi's remarks cleared Hamas of its alleged involvement in events in Egypt.
He called on the Egyptian authorities to investigate this incident, take legal action in this regard and end the systematic incitement campaign against Hamas.
A Palestinian man awaits dialysis treatment at the kidney section of Shifa hospital in Gaza
The Health Ministry of the Gaza Strip has warned against fuel shortage in the besieged Palestinian territory, which has affected the work of hospitals.
The health ministry said many hospitals in Gaza are in dire need of fuel necessary for their power generators to function.
Nearly 500 Palestinian patients have died and hundreds more are at risk of death as a result of difficulties hospitals face due to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the closure of the Rafah crossing - Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world - by the Egyptian army since July 3 has prevented thousands of people from crossing in and out, leaving many stranded, including patients, students, and people who hold visas and citizenships to other countries.
Egypt opens the crossing on specified days following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi by the army.
Over the past months, Egypt has also blocked supply tunnels leading into Gaza, which are used to bring basic necessities. In February, the Egyptian army flooded several of the tunnels.
The Israeli regime imposed land, aerial, and naval blockade on the Gaza Strip in June 2007 after the democratically elected Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas took over the administration of the territory.
The blockade has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the impoverished enclave, having turned the territory into the world’s largest open-air prison.
The Health Ministry of the Gaza Strip has warned against fuel shortage in the besieged Palestinian territory, which has affected the work of hospitals.
The health ministry said many hospitals in Gaza are in dire need of fuel necessary for their power generators to function.
Nearly 500 Palestinian patients have died and hundreds more are at risk of death as a result of difficulties hospitals face due to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the closure of the Rafah crossing - Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world - by the Egyptian army since July 3 has prevented thousands of people from crossing in and out, leaving many stranded, including patients, students, and people who hold visas and citizenships to other countries.
Egypt opens the crossing on specified days following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi by the army.
Over the past months, Egypt has also blocked supply tunnels leading into Gaza, which are used to bring basic necessities. In February, the Egyptian army flooded several of the tunnels.
The Israeli regime imposed land, aerial, and naval blockade on the Gaza Strip in June 2007 after the democratically elected Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas took over the administration of the territory.
The blockade has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the impoverished enclave, having turned the territory into the world’s largest open-air prison.
3 aug 2013
US Secretary of State John Kerry appeared to try to distance himself from comments he made that were seen as endorsing the Egyptian military's overthrow of a civilian ruler.
Washington has struggled to articulate a coherent position on the situation in Egypt, where the army stepped in to depose president Mohammed Morsi following large-scale street protests.
On Thursday, during a visit to Pakistan, Kerry further muddied the waters by telling a television interviewer that Egyptian forces had acted to "restore democracy" in ousting the elected leader.
This infuriated Morsi's supporters in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, and undermined previous US attempts to appear neutral in the dispute while urging both signs not to resort to violence.
On Friday -- against a backdrop of new anti-American rallies in Cairo -- his tone was more measured but his message far from clear. Meeting reporters in London, he said: "Egypt needs to get back to a new normal."
After talks with Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Kerry said Egypt "needs to begin to restore stability to be able to attract business and good people to work. And that's a high priority."
Kerry added: "And we will work very, very hard, together and with others, in order to bring parties together to find a peaceful resolution that grows the democracy and respects the rights of everybody."
His Emirati counterpart said the international community did not want to see "anybody stopping Egypt from (going) the way it should go, and that's only going to happen by all parties being in an inclusive dialogue."
Police fired tear gas in a Cairo suburb on Friday to disperse protesters demanding Morsi's reinstatement, a security official and an AFP reporter said.
The protesters responded by saying they would march on the Egyptian army headquarters.
The United Arab Emirates has been a strong supporter of Egypt's new military-installed regime. Along with ally Saudi Arabia, it has earmarked $8 billion in aid to the new regime.
The United States also provides aid to the Egyptian military, which with $1.3 billion in the year is second only to the Israeli military in Washington's affections.
In theory, however, US law forbids the administration from subsidizing any military that carries out a coup against a civilian power.
In order to get round this, and to maintain leverage over an army that is now the key player in the Egyptian drama, the White House and State Department have tied themselves in knots to avoid calling the takeover a coup.
But with Egyptian forces now implicated in two mass shootings of Morsi supporters and putsch leader General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi assuming an increasingly prominent role as a national figurehead, this stance is starting to look a little shaky.
The United States was a strong supporter of former Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak for three decades until he was overthrown by a street revolt -- with belated military backing -- two years ago.
Pressure groups like Human Rights First denounced Kerry's statement, seeing in it a continuation of America's historic role in shoring up authoritarian Middle East regimes.
"It is shocking that, in the aftermath of serious violence in Egypt in which scores of supporters of elected, deposed president Mohamed Morsi were killed after having been fired on by Egyptian security forces, Secretary Kerry would use the term 'restoring democracy' to characterize events in Egypt," said Human Rights First's Neil Hicks.
Kerry's obscene lie
By Khalid Amayreh in occupied Palestine
In a strange and alarming statement attributed to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this week, the high-ranking American official was quoted as saying that the ousting by the Egyptian army of the democratically-elected President Muhammed Mursi last month was aimed at restoring democracy.
"And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment -- so far. To run the country, there's a civilian government. In effect, they were restoring democracy."
Predictably, the statement drew angry reactions from many quarters. Jihad Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brothers, denounced Kerry's "obscene lie," accusing the American administration of "complicity in the military coup."
Haddad said Kerry didn't know what he was saying.
"Would Secretary Kerry accept Defense Secretary [Chuck] Hagel to step in and remove [US President Barack] Obama if large protests took place in America?
"Would the US army freeze the constitution and dismantle Congress and [the] Senate? Could they install a president that they solely choose in lieu of the legitimate president?"
El-Haddad called Kerry's comments "alarming,” and accused the US administration of treating the coup with excessive obsequiousness.
"The American people should stand against an administration that is corrupting their values in supporting tyranny and dictatorship," he added.
Disregarding truth
The claim that the ousting of an elected president doesn't constitute a military coup is per se an obscene disregard of truth. As to the claim that the coup was effectively restoring democracy to the largest Arab country, it really amounts to committing an act of lewdness with truth.
Besides arresting the democratically-elected President, the first thing the coup makers did was to silence freedom of speech, close down non-conformist TV and media outlets, seal press offices, round up political leaders and dumping them behind bars, without charge or trial.
So, does this sound like trying to restore democracy?
I don't understand how on earth can democracy be restored by crushing it under the treads of tanks?
In truth, the fact that the American Secretary of State did make this incredible statement makes many people raise questions about Kerry's moral judgment if not mental sanity.
Kerry ought to know that the senseless and deliberate murder of hundreds of innocent and peaceful Egyptians is an absolute indictment of the military coup authorities, irrespective of the lies and mendacious black propaganda that keep coming out of Egypt.
Nonetheless, I believe that Kerry is neither intoxicated nor insane or suffering mental senility. He is simply being faithful to the consistently malicious immoral American policy in the Muslim world.
It is a policy that embraces and encourages tyranny and dictatorship at the expense of liberty and true democracy.
Washington knows quite well that any government in the Muslim world that is truly answerable to its masses wouldn't easily budge to American dictates, wouldn't be at America's beck and call, and would be ultimately "harmful" to American interests in our part of the world.
Washington knows that military dictatorships are the best and most effective means of keeping a lid on the masses. In short, a military dictator such as Sisi is a thousand time better and more expedient for Washington's unethical interests than would be a democratically elected leader, e.g. Muhammed Mursi who must be answerable to his people first and foremost, irrespective of Washington's desires.
In every high school in the United States, students learn Patrick Henry's famous quote "give me freedom or give death."
It is really sad that that the Secretary of State of the country that prides itself on having the “Bill of Rights" and the "First Amendment" is openly standing on the side of those who shoot and kill liberty and liberty seekers."
Not only that, he even calls the usurpation of people's will and confiscation of civil liberties acts aimed at restoring democracy!
What an ingenious statesman!
Washington has struggled to articulate a coherent position on the situation in Egypt, where the army stepped in to depose president Mohammed Morsi following large-scale street protests.
On Thursday, during a visit to Pakistan, Kerry further muddied the waters by telling a television interviewer that Egyptian forces had acted to "restore democracy" in ousting the elected leader.
This infuriated Morsi's supporters in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, and undermined previous US attempts to appear neutral in the dispute while urging both signs not to resort to violence.
On Friday -- against a backdrop of new anti-American rallies in Cairo -- his tone was more measured but his message far from clear. Meeting reporters in London, he said: "Egypt needs to get back to a new normal."
After talks with Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Kerry said Egypt "needs to begin to restore stability to be able to attract business and good people to work. And that's a high priority."
Kerry added: "And we will work very, very hard, together and with others, in order to bring parties together to find a peaceful resolution that grows the democracy and respects the rights of everybody."
His Emirati counterpart said the international community did not want to see "anybody stopping Egypt from (going) the way it should go, and that's only going to happen by all parties being in an inclusive dialogue."
Police fired tear gas in a Cairo suburb on Friday to disperse protesters demanding Morsi's reinstatement, a security official and an AFP reporter said.
The protesters responded by saying they would march on the Egyptian army headquarters.
The United Arab Emirates has been a strong supporter of Egypt's new military-installed regime. Along with ally Saudi Arabia, it has earmarked $8 billion in aid to the new regime.
The United States also provides aid to the Egyptian military, which with $1.3 billion in the year is second only to the Israeli military in Washington's affections.
In theory, however, US law forbids the administration from subsidizing any military that carries out a coup against a civilian power.
In order to get round this, and to maintain leverage over an army that is now the key player in the Egyptian drama, the White House and State Department have tied themselves in knots to avoid calling the takeover a coup.
But with Egyptian forces now implicated in two mass shootings of Morsi supporters and putsch leader General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi assuming an increasingly prominent role as a national figurehead, this stance is starting to look a little shaky.
The United States was a strong supporter of former Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak for three decades until he was overthrown by a street revolt -- with belated military backing -- two years ago.
Pressure groups like Human Rights First denounced Kerry's statement, seeing in it a continuation of America's historic role in shoring up authoritarian Middle East regimes.
"It is shocking that, in the aftermath of serious violence in Egypt in which scores of supporters of elected, deposed president Mohamed Morsi were killed after having been fired on by Egyptian security forces, Secretary Kerry would use the term 'restoring democracy' to characterize events in Egypt," said Human Rights First's Neil Hicks.
Kerry's obscene lie
By Khalid Amayreh in occupied Palestine
In a strange and alarming statement attributed to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this week, the high-ranking American official was quoted as saying that the ousting by the Egyptian army of the democratically-elected President Muhammed Mursi last month was aimed at restoring democracy.
"And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment -- so far. To run the country, there's a civilian government. In effect, they were restoring democracy."
Predictably, the statement drew angry reactions from many quarters. Jihad Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brothers, denounced Kerry's "obscene lie," accusing the American administration of "complicity in the military coup."
Haddad said Kerry didn't know what he was saying.
"Would Secretary Kerry accept Defense Secretary [Chuck] Hagel to step in and remove [US President Barack] Obama if large protests took place in America?
"Would the US army freeze the constitution and dismantle Congress and [the] Senate? Could they install a president that they solely choose in lieu of the legitimate president?"
El-Haddad called Kerry's comments "alarming,” and accused the US administration of treating the coup with excessive obsequiousness.
"The American people should stand against an administration that is corrupting their values in supporting tyranny and dictatorship," he added.
Disregarding truth
The claim that the ousting of an elected president doesn't constitute a military coup is per se an obscene disregard of truth. As to the claim that the coup was effectively restoring democracy to the largest Arab country, it really amounts to committing an act of lewdness with truth.
Besides arresting the democratically-elected President, the first thing the coup makers did was to silence freedom of speech, close down non-conformist TV and media outlets, seal press offices, round up political leaders and dumping them behind bars, without charge or trial.
So, does this sound like trying to restore democracy?
I don't understand how on earth can democracy be restored by crushing it under the treads of tanks?
In truth, the fact that the American Secretary of State did make this incredible statement makes many people raise questions about Kerry's moral judgment if not mental sanity.
Kerry ought to know that the senseless and deliberate murder of hundreds of innocent and peaceful Egyptians is an absolute indictment of the military coup authorities, irrespective of the lies and mendacious black propaganda that keep coming out of Egypt.
Nonetheless, I believe that Kerry is neither intoxicated nor insane or suffering mental senility. He is simply being faithful to the consistently malicious immoral American policy in the Muslim world.
It is a policy that embraces and encourages tyranny and dictatorship at the expense of liberty and true democracy.
Washington knows quite well that any government in the Muslim world that is truly answerable to its masses wouldn't easily budge to American dictates, wouldn't be at America's beck and call, and would be ultimately "harmful" to American interests in our part of the world.
Washington knows that military dictatorships are the best and most effective means of keeping a lid on the masses. In short, a military dictator such as Sisi is a thousand time better and more expedient for Washington's unethical interests than would be a democratically elected leader, e.g. Muhammed Mursi who must be answerable to his people first and foremost, irrespective of Washington's desires.
In every high school in the United States, students learn Patrick Henry's famous quote "give me freedom or give death."
It is really sad that that the Secretary of State of the country that prides itself on having the “Bill of Rights" and the "First Amendment" is openly standing on the side of those who shoot and kill liberty and liberty seekers."
Not only that, he even calls the usurpation of people's will and confiscation of civil liberties acts aimed at restoring democracy!
What an ingenious statesman!
2 aug 2013
By Khalid Amayreh
The documents which seemed fairly bona fide and underwent no doctoring whatsoever, showed that Fatah's intelligence elements transferred deliberately concocted intelligence information, alleging that Hamas was smuggling weapons and bombs into Egypt for the purpose of destabilizing the country and undermining its security.
Earlier, Fatah disseminated false information claiming that Hamas was involved in terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda gunmen against Egyptian police targets in the Sinai Peninsula. Hamas argues seemingly sincerely it has no interest whatsoever in undermining relations with Egypt. With the more or less hermetic Israeli siege, Egypt serves as the Gaza Strip's only "lung" to the outside world.
Fatah also pumped out disinformation to the notoriously mendacious Egyptian media claiming that the deposed democratically-elected President, Dr. Muhammed Mursi, had been negotiating with Hamas the establishment of an Islamist Emirate in Sinai.
These and similar obscene lies were readily received by the vehemently anti-Islamist media in Egypt, especially those funded by Coptic Tycoon Najib Swaris and Arabian Intelligence agencies.
Even Egyptian state-run media outlets, such as Sawt el-Arab (the Voice of the Arabs and Al-Ahram newspaper) parroted these brash lies without patting an eyelash. Which really shows the low level that most Egyptian media outlets have stooped to especially in the past few months.
There is no doubt that Fatah, or certain elements within the Palestinian national secular movement, is rabidly interested in tarnishing the image of Hamas, its political and ideological archrival, by hook or by crook. Fatah, especially since Hamas wrested control over the Gaza Strip following democratic elections in 2006, has been trying rather rabidly to demonize and vilify Hamas, often using virulent canards and black lies.
Unfortunately, some of this black propaganda, was further disseminated by Israeli and Western media without any modicum of ascertainment. For example, it was repeatedly claimed in 2007-8 that Hamas militiamen were throwing opponents off the rooftops of multi-story buildings in Gaza. Fortunately, this big lie was eventually refuted and debunked, but not after it inflected the intended damage. (By the way the pornographically mendacious Egyptian media has been indulging in similar lies about the Muslim Brothers and President Mursi supporters).
Reacting to Hamas's latest revelations, Fatah and Palestinian Authority denied that they were involved in this treasonous disgrace, claiming that Hamas was lying and trying to vilify Fatah.
However, Fatah's defensive reflexes seemed to conceal a certain proclivity to incite the undemocratic military authorities in Cairo against Palestinian Islamists.
Eventually, this propensity evolved into vociferous street demonstrations by Fatah supporters in solidarity with Egypt’s bloody coup.
To Fatah's chagrin, the anti-Hamas incitement swiftly morphed into a rabid and sweeping anti-Palestinian hysteria as Egyptian media outlets began calling for murdering Palestinians in Egypt. One typical TV commentator remarked that "Palestinians are our enemies and ought to be killed in the streets like stray dogs." His virulent remarks, many pundits say, represented the norm not the exception.
Fatah's embassy in Cairo reportedly said it was willing to launch an investigation into the charges. This should be a positive step, at least ostensibly. However, the PA office in the Egyptian capital can't really launch a real, credible inquiry into the latest scam since intelligence officers at the embassy are not answerable to the ambassador but report directly to the Ramallah, often without the knowledge of the embassy's officials.
The anti-Palestinian incitement permeating through the Egyptian media is undoubtedly a disgraceful behavior, marking the nadir of that media. But what can we expect from a media apparatus that lies as often as it breathes? By the way, this sorry state of affair didn't start yesterday or the day before. The bulk of the Egyptian media has always been notoriously, even pornographically mendacious.
Just remember Ahmed Said who told us on the fifth of June, 1967, that the Egyptian army was overrunning Tel Aviv and that Israeli warplanes were falling down like flies!!! We know the rest of the story.
It is imperative that the government in Ramallah carry out a credible investigation into this affair. This is extremely important in order to allow our people to know the truth.
We certainly don't want to build a Palestinian state on a foundation of lies. In all countries that respect themselves, Civil servants and public figures who are proven to have committed a perjury are punished and made to bear an indelible stigma for the rest of lives. This also should be the case in occupied Palestine, otherwise our contemplated state would be just another failed state.
Lying is probably the next most hideous crime after murder. Nearly all crimes, including treason, corruption, etc, begin with lying. This is why the Prophet Muhammed ( S) stressed that a Muslim can't be a liar since faith and lying can not coexist in a believer's heart.
Had Egypt and other Arab countries punished liars from the very inception of their modern independence, they wouldn't have reached the sorry state of affair they are now facing.
In 1952, when King Farouk was deposed, Egypt was at the same socio-economic level of countries such as South Korea and China .
Now, South Korea and India are economic superpowers while Egypt is effectively a failed state, begging handouts from everywhere.
The reason is clear, the Egyptian political establishment, ever since Gamal Abdul Nasser, adopted lying and falsification of facts as its modus operandi. Eventually, this impotent and incompetent establishment enabled a little army general, who can hardly read a correct Arabic sentence to overthrow a democratically-elected President who has a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Hence, one is prompted to ask the following question: Should we Palestinians follow the example of Egypt or South Korea. I think the answer very much depends on our willingness to tolerate lies and lying…because lying corrodes societies and prevents progress and development.
The documents which seemed fairly bona fide and underwent no doctoring whatsoever, showed that Fatah's intelligence elements transferred deliberately concocted intelligence information, alleging that Hamas was smuggling weapons and bombs into Egypt for the purpose of destabilizing the country and undermining its security.
Earlier, Fatah disseminated false information claiming that Hamas was involved in terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda gunmen against Egyptian police targets in the Sinai Peninsula. Hamas argues seemingly sincerely it has no interest whatsoever in undermining relations with Egypt. With the more or less hermetic Israeli siege, Egypt serves as the Gaza Strip's only "lung" to the outside world.
Fatah also pumped out disinformation to the notoriously mendacious Egyptian media claiming that the deposed democratically-elected President, Dr. Muhammed Mursi, had been negotiating with Hamas the establishment of an Islamist Emirate in Sinai.
These and similar obscene lies were readily received by the vehemently anti-Islamist media in Egypt, especially those funded by Coptic Tycoon Najib Swaris and Arabian Intelligence agencies.
Even Egyptian state-run media outlets, such as Sawt el-Arab (the Voice of the Arabs and Al-Ahram newspaper) parroted these brash lies without patting an eyelash. Which really shows the low level that most Egyptian media outlets have stooped to especially in the past few months.
There is no doubt that Fatah, or certain elements within the Palestinian national secular movement, is rabidly interested in tarnishing the image of Hamas, its political and ideological archrival, by hook or by crook. Fatah, especially since Hamas wrested control over the Gaza Strip following democratic elections in 2006, has been trying rather rabidly to demonize and vilify Hamas, often using virulent canards and black lies.
Unfortunately, some of this black propaganda, was further disseminated by Israeli and Western media without any modicum of ascertainment. For example, it was repeatedly claimed in 2007-8 that Hamas militiamen were throwing opponents off the rooftops of multi-story buildings in Gaza. Fortunately, this big lie was eventually refuted and debunked, but not after it inflected the intended damage. (By the way the pornographically mendacious Egyptian media has been indulging in similar lies about the Muslim Brothers and President Mursi supporters).
Reacting to Hamas's latest revelations, Fatah and Palestinian Authority denied that they were involved in this treasonous disgrace, claiming that Hamas was lying and trying to vilify Fatah.
However, Fatah's defensive reflexes seemed to conceal a certain proclivity to incite the undemocratic military authorities in Cairo against Palestinian Islamists.
Eventually, this propensity evolved into vociferous street demonstrations by Fatah supporters in solidarity with Egypt’s bloody coup.
To Fatah's chagrin, the anti-Hamas incitement swiftly morphed into a rabid and sweeping anti-Palestinian hysteria as Egyptian media outlets began calling for murdering Palestinians in Egypt. One typical TV commentator remarked that "Palestinians are our enemies and ought to be killed in the streets like stray dogs." His virulent remarks, many pundits say, represented the norm not the exception.
Fatah's embassy in Cairo reportedly said it was willing to launch an investigation into the charges. This should be a positive step, at least ostensibly. However, the PA office in the Egyptian capital can't really launch a real, credible inquiry into the latest scam since intelligence officers at the embassy are not answerable to the ambassador but report directly to the Ramallah, often without the knowledge of the embassy's officials.
The anti-Palestinian incitement permeating through the Egyptian media is undoubtedly a disgraceful behavior, marking the nadir of that media. But what can we expect from a media apparatus that lies as often as it breathes? By the way, this sorry state of affair didn't start yesterday or the day before. The bulk of the Egyptian media has always been notoriously, even pornographically mendacious.
Just remember Ahmed Said who told us on the fifth of June, 1967, that the Egyptian army was overrunning Tel Aviv and that Israeli warplanes were falling down like flies!!! We know the rest of the story.
It is imperative that the government in Ramallah carry out a credible investigation into this affair. This is extremely important in order to allow our people to know the truth.
We certainly don't want to build a Palestinian state on a foundation of lies. In all countries that respect themselves, Civil servants and public figures who are proven to have committed a perjury are punished and made to bear an indelible stigma for the rest of lives. This also should be the case in occupied Palestine, otherwise our contemplated state would be just another failed state.
Lying is probably the next most hideous crime after murder. Nearly all crimes, including treason, corruption, etc, begin with lying. This is why the Prophet Muhammed ( S) stressed that a Muslim can't be a liar since faith and lying can not coexist in a believer's heart.
Had Egypt and other Arab countries punished liars from the very inception of their modern independence, they wouldn't have reached the sorry state of affair they are now facing.
In 1952, when King Farouk was deposed, Egypt was at the same socio-economic level of countries such as South Korea and China .
Now, South Korea and India are economic superpowers while Egypt is effectively a failed state, begging handouts from everywhere.
The reason is clear, the Egyptian political establishment, ever since Gamal Abdul Nasser, adopted lying and falsification of facts as its modus operandi. Eventually, this impotent and incompetent establishment enabled a little army general, who can hardly read a correct Arabic sentence to overthrow a democratically-elected President who has a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Hence, one is prompted to ask the following question: Should we Palestinians follow the example of Egypt or South Korea. I think the answer very much depends on our willingness to tolerate lies and lying…because lying corrodes societies and prevents progress and development.
Egyptian security sources and eyewitnesses said that the Egyptian army captured a man called Sheikh Fathi al-Falastini, in the Safa neighbourhood of the Egyptian Rafah city. He is a PA preventive security officer. Al-Sharq al-Awsat news agency said that officer grew a beard and lived amongst the people in Safa neighbourhood and became known as Sheikh Fathi, an Islamic propagator.
When the army searched his house, they found documents which they described as dangerous, as well as plans for a number of elements and mercenaries in Rafah and Sheikh Zweid. They also found pictures of Safa and Ahrash army camps as well as sums of cash.
The sources said that armed men fired at the army camp, the soldiers exchanged fire with them and arrested a man called Fathi A.K., a Palestinian who lives in Rafah.
About 200 security officers loyal to Muhmmad Dahlan fled the Gaza Strip into the Sinai in 2006 when Hamas took over in the Strip. The PA in Ramallah arranged for their stay with the Egyptian authorities and still pays them their salaries through the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt.
When the army searched his house, they found documents which they described as dangerous, as well as plans for a number of elements and mercenaries in Rafah and Sheikh Zweid. They also found pictures of Safa and Ahrash army camps as well as sums of cash.
The sources said that armed men fired at the army camp, the soldiers exchanged fire with them and arrested a man called Fathi A.K., a Palestinian who lives in Rafah.
About 200 security officers loyal to Muhmmad Dahlan fled the Gaza Strip into the Sinai in 2006 when Hamas took over in the Strip. The PA in Ramallah arranged for their stay with the Egyptian authorities and still pays them their salaries through the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt.
31 july 2013
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) (L) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) (R) confer at the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington March 5, 2013.
US Senator Lindsey Graham has expressed the Obama administration’s concerns over the fallout of the latest turmoil in Egypt for the Israeli regime.
“If Egypt goes and Israel is surrounded by more and more radical regimes ... we’ll regret not doing everything possible to keep Egypt on track as a stable society,” he said on Tuesday signaling Washington’s interference in Egypt’s internal affairs.
The hawkish Republican made the remarks after President Barack Obama asked him and Senator John McCain to travel to Egypt next week.
Egypt has been gripped by deadly violence since the military ousted Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically-elected president, on July 3.
“The president asked Sen. McCain and myself to go to Egypt next week, so we’re trying to find a way to get there,” Graham told reporters.
“So we can go over and reinforce in a bipartisan fashion the message that we have to move to civilian control, that the military is going to have to, you know, allow the country to have new elections and move toward an inclusive, democratic approach,” he added.
The Obama administration has refused to suspend its annual 1.5 billion dollars aid to Egypt despite condemning the bloody violence in the country.
Under US law, financial assistance to any country whose elected head of state is deposed in a military coup is prohibited. The White House has shied away from calling Morsi’s ouster a military coup.
However, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul has introduced a measure that would end US aid to Egypt. The Senate was set to vote on the measure on Wednesday.
“We tell other countries to follow the rule of law, yet our own administration fails to do so. Sending money to Egypt under their current military coups is illegal,” Paul said in a statement. “Instead of illegally sending that money overseas, we are better off spending that money at home.”
Senator Graham said a vote now could send the wrong signal.
“If you cut off aid, that’s a destabilizing event,” Graham said, while a vote for aid would “give people the impression everything’s fine.”
US Senator Lindsey Graham has expressed the Obama administration’s concerns over the fallout of the latest turmoil in Egypt for the Israeli regime.
“If Egypt goes and Israel is surrounded by more and more radical regimes ... we’ll regret not doing everything possible to keep Egypt on track as a stable society,” he said on Tuesday signaling Washington’s interference in Egypt’s internal affairs.
The hawkish Republican made the remarks after President Barack Obama asked him and Senator John McCain to travel to Egypt next week.
Egypt has been gripped by deadly violence since the military ousted Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically-elected president, on July 3.
“The president asked Sen. McCain and myself to go to Egypt next week, so we’re trying to find a way to get there,” Graham told reporters.
“So we can go over and reinforce in a bipartisan fashion the message that we have to move to civilian control, that the military is going to have to, you know, allow the country to have new elections and move toward an inclusive, democratic approach,” he added.
The Obama administration has refused to suspend its annual 1.5 billion dollars aid to Egypt despite condemning the bloody violence in the country.
Under US law, financial assistance to any country whose elected head of state is deposed in a military coup is prohibited. The White House has shied away from calling Morsi’s ouster a military coup.
However, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul has introduced a measure that would end US aid to Egypt. The Senate was set to vote on the measure on Wednesday.
“We tell other countries to follow the rule of law, yet our own administration fails to do so. Sending money to Egypt under their current military coups is illegal,” Paul said in a statement. “Instead of illegally sending that money overseas, we are better off spending that money at home.”
Senator Graham said a vote now could send the wrong signal.
“If you cut off aid, that’s a destabilizing event,” Graham said, while a vote for aid would “give people the impression everything’s fine.”
Alleged Fatah document
The two documents allegedly written by Fatah, that describe a plot against the Hamas party, were dismissed today as fabrications by members of Fatah’s revolutionary council. On Tuesday, Hamas members attended a conference concerning the documents that they allege were sent by Fatah to the media and security attachés at the Palestinian embassy in Cairo.
The two documents were allegedly sent by Fatah to the media and security attachés at the Palestinian embassy in Cairo. According to Al-Jazeera the documents called for “[the] fabrication of news that would embarrass Hamas,” as well as efforts to link Hamas to the recent violence in Egypt.
Hamas official Salah al-Baredweel said that the documents "urge hatred, not only against Gaza or Hamas, but against the Palestinian people".
The documents however, were dismissed today as being fake by the Fatah Revolutionary Council and it was proved that the letterhead of the documents did not correspond to the official Fatah letterhead.
Fatah member Muwafak Matar commented on the falsifications: "We believe that Hamas is taking a new political course at this moment. Hamas wishes to steer away from the reconciliation among the Palestinians," according to Al-Jazeera.
The relationship between Fatah and Hamas has been chilly since 2006 when the legislative victory for Hamas resulted in a political split between the Hamas ruled Gaza strip and the Fatah ruled West Bank. The current political situation in Egypt has constituted a further challenge to the relationship between Hamas and Fatah since the interim government of Egypt accuses Hamas of having political ties to the recently overthrown Muslim Brotherhood.
The two documents allegedly written by Fatah, that describe a plot against the Hamas party, were dismissed today as fabrications by members of Fatah’s revolutionary council. On Tuesday, Hamas members attended a conference concerning the documents that they allege were sent by Fatah to the media and security attachés at the Palestinian embassy in Cairo.
The two documents were allegedly sent by Fatah to the media and security attachés at the Palestinian embassy in Cairo. According to Al-Jazeera the documents called for “[the] fabrication of news that would embarrass Hamas,” as well as efforts to link Hamas to the recent violence in Egypt.
Hamas official Salah al-Baredweel said that the documents "urge hatred, not only against Gaza or Hamas, but against the Palestinian people".
The documents however, were dismissed today as being fake by the Fatah Revolutionary Council and it was proved that the letterhead of the documents did not correspond to the official Fatah letterhead.
Fatah member Muwafak Matar commented on the falsifications: "We believe that Hamas is taking a new political course at this moment. Hamas wishes to steer away from the reconciliation among the Palestinians," according to Al-Jazeera.
The relationship between Fatah and Hamas has been chilly since 2006 when the legislative victory for Hamas resulted in a political split between the Hamas ruled Gaza strip and the Fatah ruled West Bank. The current political situation in Egypt has constituted a further challenge to the relationship between Hamas and Fatah since the interim government of Egypt accuses Hamas of having political ties to the recently overthrown Muslim Brotherhood.
One of many documents exposing a PA-led conspiracy against Gaza and Hamas
The released documents which revealed the engagement of a Fatah-affiliated security cell in the incitement campaign in Egypt against Hamas and Gaza were extracted from a notebook computer owned by a Palestinian authority intelligence officer who were arrested lately, according to a senior security source in Gaza. The security source told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the Palestinian security forces in Gaza detained a few days ago a PA intelligence officer named Mohamed Abu Diya after his return to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing and confiscated his laptop.
He affirmed that the technical unit of the interior ministry was able to retrieve the documents from the laptop, adding that the documents consist of a large number of correspondence letters exposing the role of the cell that kept inciting against Hamas and Gaza during the last period.
He also asserted that Abu Diya had been in Dubai and met with Fatah-affiliated fugitives living there before he traveled back to Gaza in order to receive large financial transfers and then use them to destabilize the situation in Gaza.
He noted that this PA officer is now being held in jail and a legal action will be taken against him soon.
The released documents which revealed the engagement of a Fatah-affiliated security cell in the incitement campaign in Egypt against Hamas and Gaza were extracted from a notebook computer owned by a Palestinian authority intelligence officer who were arrested lately, according to a senior security source in Gaza. The security source told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the Palestinian security forces in Gaza detained a few days ago a PA intelligence officer named Mohamed Abu Diya after his return to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing and confiscated his laptop.
He affirmed that the technical unit of the interior ministry was able to retrieve the documents from the laptop, adding that the documents consist of a large number of correspondence letters exposing the role of the cell that kept inciting against Hamas and Gaza during the last period.
He also asserted that Abu Diya had been in Dubai and met with Fatah-affiliated fugitives living there before he traveled back to Gaza in order to receive large financial transfers and then use them to destabilize the situation in Gaza.
He noted that this PA officer is now being held in jail and a legal action will be taken against him soon.
30 july 2013
Osama Hamdan, a leader in Hamas movement, stated that PA president Mahmoud Abbas leads a serious scheme to drive a wedge between Gaza and Egypt, as part of a systematic policy to take revenge on Hamas movement. Hamdan confirmed that Hamas movement has managed to get official documents to prove PA involvement in a conspiracy in coordination with US and Israel to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
Abbas is involved in paving the way for an Israeli aggression against the Gaza strip, the leader in Hamas movement said.
Meanwhile, MP Ismail al-Ashqar, who is in charge of the security and interior committee of the PLC, called on Egyptian authorities to exercise caution regarding the fabricated information provided by the PA and Abbas.
He pointed out to the false accusations which are fabricated in Ramallah to implicate Hamas movement in Egyptian interior affairs.
These fabricated accusations have catastrophic political and security agenda that targets the Palestinian people and resistance through launching an incitement media campaign to demonize the Palestinian resistance, he added.
For his part, Ihab Ghussain, the government spokesman, condemned Fatah movement ongoing policy to distort the Palestinian resistance.
These attempts to involve our people in the Egyptian internal security events will not affect the historical relationship between the Egyptian and Palestinian peoples, said Ghussain.
He stressed that these fabricated stories only serve the occupation and cover the Israeli crimes against Palestinian people.
He added that the Palestinian people will prosecute those responsible for these crimes that target the Palestinian people and their interests.
Abbas is involved in paving the way for an Israeli aggression against the Gaza strip, the leader in Hamas movement said.
Meanwhile, MP Ismail al-Ashqar, who is in charge of the security and interior committee of the PLC, called on Egyptian authorities to exercise caution regarding the fabricated information provided by the PA and Abbas.
He pointed out to the false accusations which are fabricated in Ramallah to implicate Hamas movement in Egyptian interior affairs.
These fabricated accusations have catastrophic political and security agenda that targets the Palestinian people and resistance through launching an incitement media campaign to demonize the Palestinian resistance, he added.
For his part, Ihab Ghussain, the government spokesman, condemned Fatah movement ongoing policy to distort the Palestinian resistance.
These attempts to involve our people in the Egyptian internal security events will not affect the historical relationship between the Egyptian and Palestinian peoples, said Ghussain.
He stressed that these fabricated stories only serve the occupation and cover the Israeli crimes against Palestinian people.
He added that the Palestinian people will prosecute those responsible for these crimes that target the Palestinian people and their interests.
Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, denounced PA chief Mahmoud Abbas for championing the destruction of Gaza tunnels and for rejecting a joint trade zone between Gaza and Egypt. Barhoum, in a statement on his Facebook page on Tuesday, said that Israel was not demanding a return to supervising the Rafah border terminal and did not ask for reviving the 2005 agreement that used to regulate the terminal’s work.
However, the spokesman noted that Abbas was asking for a return to that agreement that returns Israeli intelligence and European observers to monitor traffic on that crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
Barhoum said that the agreement caused suffering among the almost two million Palestinians inhabiting the besieged enclave.
Abbas told reporters during a single day visit to Cairo that goods should continue to pour into Gaza via what he called “legitimate crossings”. He also called for closure of the tunnels on condition that Gaza populace would not be affected by their closure.
However, the spokesman noted that Abbas was asking for a return to that agreement that returns Israeli intelligence and European observers to monitor traffic on that crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
Barhoum said that the agreement caused suffering among the almost two million Palestinians inhabiting the besieged enclave.
Abbas told reporters during a single day visit to Cairo that goods should continue to pour into Gaza via what he called “legitimate crossings”. He also called for closure of the tunnels on condition that Gaza populace would not be affected by their closure.
29 july 2013
The Hamas Movement said it obtained documents revealing a plot intended by the Fatah-controlled Palestinian authority (PA) to incite Cairo against the Movement as part of the smear campaign against it. These documents confirm that the PA uses the Egyptian media to fabricate lies and demonize Hamas.
The documents unveil that recent preparations have been made by senior PA officials to incite the Egyptian side against Hamas during the coming visit of de facto president Mahmoud Abbas to Cairo and to urge it to accuse Hamas officially of killing Egyptian soldiers in Sinai.
Among the documents are two signed letters of correspondence, dated July 24, one between Jihad Harrazin, head of the Fatah propaganda and media office in Cairo, and Attayeb Abdul-Rahim, secretary-general of the PA presidency in Ramallah, and the other between the latter and Majed Faraj, director of the PA intelligence agency.
For his part, senior Hamas official Salah Al-Bardawil confirmed that Hamas had access to hundreds of documents exposing the engagement of the PA and Abbas in inciting Cairo against the Movement.
"We have obtained many documents probably hundreds, about the fabricated news spread by the Egyptian media which implicate Hamas in the current events in Egypt, and we know the sources of these stories and how they were made up and sent to the Egyptian press," Bardawil told Al-Risala Net.
"The biggest surprise was that this smear campaign against Hamas is spearheaded by Mahmoud Abbas himself with the assistance of Attayeb Abdul-Rahim, secretary-general of the presidency, and Majed Faraj, head of the general intelligence apparatus in the West Bank, and they have a hotbed in Cairo run by Jihad Harrazin, including Bashir Abu Hata, Ahmed Mansour Dagmash and PA ambassador Barakat Al-Farra in collaboration with journalists from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank," the Hamas official explained.
He stated that the intended visit of Abbas to Cairo is aimed at inciting the Egyptian government into accusing Hamas officially of killing 16 Egyptian soldiers in Sinai.
The documents unveil that recent preparations have been made by senior PA officials to incite the Egyptian side against Hamas during the coming visit of de facto president Mahmoud Abbas to Cairo and to urge it to accuse Hamas officially of killing Egyptian soldiers in Sinai.
Among the documents are two signed letters of correspondence, dated July 24, one between Jihad Harrazin, head of the Fatah propaganda and media office in Cairo, and Attayeb Abdul-Rahim, secretary-general of the PA presidency in Ramallah, and the other between the latter and Majed Faraj, director of the PA intelligence agency.
For his part, senior Hamas official Salah Al-Bardawil confirmed that Hamas had access to hundreds of documents exposing the engagement of the PA and Abbas in inciting Cairo against the Movement.
"We have obtained many documents probably hundreds, about the fabricated news spread by the Egyptian media which implicate Hamas in the current events in Egypt, and we know the sources of these stories and how they were made up and sent to the Egyptian press," Bardawil told Al-Risala Net.
"The biggest surprise was that this smear campaign against Hamas is spearheaded by Mahmoud Abbas himself with the assistance of Attayeb Abdul-Rahim, secretary-general of the presidency, and Majed Faraj, head of the general intelligence apparatus in the West Bank, and they have a hotbed in Cairo run by Jihad Harrazin, including Bashir Abu Hata, Ahmed Mansour Dagmash and PA ambassador Barakat Al-Farra in collaboration with journalists from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank," the Hamas official explained.
He stated that the intended visit of Abbas to Cairo is aimed at inciting the Egyptian government into accusing Hamas officially of killing 16 Egyptian soldiers in Sinai.
