Egyptian to hold ‘million man protest’ against peace accord with Israel

[bemildred]

Who and how many will take part in today's million-man demonstration in Tahrir Square? It is not expected to be one of the routine demonstrations that have shaken Egypt since January. This time, Tahrir Square will confront Egypt's foreign policy. The headline of the demonstration is "Million-man demonstration to expel the Israeli ambassador," and most of the protest groups have announced that they will participate. Egyptian anger is not only directed at Israel which killed five soldiers during the terrorist attack near Eilat last week, but also against the Egyptian government's policy toward Israel.

Since the terrorist attack there have been raucous demonstrations in front of the Israeli embassy in the neighborhood of Giza that have resulted in a national event and a national hero, who climbed the flagpole in front of the embassy and removed the Israeli flag. Even though there are reports of smaller crowds and consequently smaller amounts of security guards protecting the embassy, the public discourse on the issue remains intense.

Those who organized the demonstration today also relied on a report in the daily Al-Masry Al-Youm, which said that Israel has still not responded to an Egyptian request for a joint investigation, and that National Security Adviser Ya'akov Amidror said that Israel will hold no such joint probe.

Even though Amidror took back his statement Thursday, it does not appear that the commitment to hold a joint investigation has calmed the atmosphere. Egyptian reporters told Haaretz yesterday that they had learned from Egyptian political sources that the prime minister and representatives of the Supreme Military Council were in touch with the leadership of the protest, but they intend to hold the demonstration "in order to make it clear to the government of Israel that Mubarak's Egypt no longer exists and that the Egyptian public will have its say also on matters pertaining to state security."

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/egyptian-to-hold-million-man-protest-against-peace-accord-with-israel-1.380723

[aranthus]

1. Not surprising.

Egyptian dictators since before Nasser have ridden and been ridden by the hostility of the average Egyptian for Israel. Now that the reins have been loosed, the horses are going to run.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. A war within five years.

There's no other way for an Egyptian regime to maintain popular legitimacy.

Vox populi, vox dei.

[aranthus]

7. And it will be just the next war.

It won't resolve anything. It won't be the last war. The only thing worse than a war is a pointless war. The only way for the next war to have a chance of resolving the conflict is if the Israelis make peace with the Palestinians and Syrians before the war starts.

[LeftishBrit]

15. Agreed!

[Jefferson23]

3. Interesting and promising...thanks for posting. n/t

[King_David]

5. A''protest’ against peace accord with Israel'' is promising huh?

In other words to tear up Carter's Camp David peace treaty is ummm ''promising''?

You get lost in cyberspace when you joined DU ?

You support the Democratic Party of the US ?

[Jefferson23]

6. Take your intentional lack of comprehension and use it on someone else.

Someone who may be interested in what you have to say, about anything.

[King_David]

22. Ha Ha ha ha

Listen Buddy, the problem you had,
is that my comprehension of your comments
was all too accurate for your liking.


And from the responses below it seems quite a few people were
interested in what I said . ( yourself included )


;)

[Jefferson23]

23. Your comments are of interest to you, not me Mr King. I do not speak

for other people here.

[King_David]

24. Touchy. NT

[oberliner]

14. Why do you see this as a good thing?

Do you think the Israel/Egypt peace treaty ought to be rescinded (or revisited)? If so, why?

[Jefferson23]

16. I said, " Interesting and promising.."

The uprising within Egypt, extracting Mubarak, holds great promise for the Egyptians and quite possibly
for their brothers and sisters, the Palestinians.

Specifically at this point in time: "Egyptian reporters told Haaretz yesterday that they had learned from Egyptian political sources that the prime minister and representatives of the Supreme Military Council were in touch with the leadership of the protest, but they intend to hold the demonstration "in order to make it clear to the government of Israel that Mubarak's Egypt no longer exists and that the Egyptian public will have its say also on matters pertaining to state security."

Hopefully the status quo is over for Israel and the United States influence on these matters. Speculation that Egypt
would seek war with Israel is ludicrous imo.

[oberliner]

17. But this march is billed as one to expel the Israeli ambassador

I am asking about your feelings on this particular march, not the uprising within Egypt that led to the extracting of Mubarak.

I certainly am not speculating that Egypt would seek war with Israel, but it does appear that whoever is organizing and participating in this march is interested in ending or at the very least re-evaluating the peace agreement between the two countries.

What is promising about that in your view?

[Jefferson23]

18. I already addressed what I find interesting and promising, you evidently

do not agree. You seem to believe there is more to it than what the protests are about on their face.

Why would the Egyptians want to maintain the status quo, I see no reason why they would. The uprising has
everything to do with this. Expelling the Israeli ambassador is an indication of a vote of no
confidence..I would not interpret that to mean the treaty will be completely abandoned, the Egyptians
are not suicidal.

The status quo, I already told you, is changing, and that holds promise for both the Egyptians and
possibly the Palestinians. That is unless you hold the perspective that Mubarak as a convenient
tool for Israel and US influence is now an unfortunate loss.

[oberliner]

19. But your post was made in response to the OP about the march against peace with Israel

Your follow up about what you find interesting and promising had nothing to do with the march itself even though your "interesting and promising" remark came in response to an article about a march to expel the Israeli ambassador.

That's what was confusing.

[Jefferson23]

21. Confusing to you, ok. I hold my response is to the OP and reflects the

recent changes in Egypt..I don't know how anyone could possibly separate them.

This march seems to have received unsettling responses here, I find those responses to be without justification. I find the protest
to indicate a strong voice of the people speaking up....nothing is settled or finalized. The people will be heard..that
is clear, and should be welcomed imo.

[demosincebirth]

4. Next you'll see Israel taking the Sinai peninsula again

[holdencaufield]

9. Awesome!

I hope they keep it this time.

[demosincebirth]

10. If the Egyptian government goes fundamentalist, the Sinai is a goner

[Violet_Crumble]

12. You forgot to add IMO....

..and not a particularly realistic opinion at that...

[Violet_Crumble]

11. A fan of territorial expansion, I see. Welcome to DU! n/t

[azurnoir]

8. I had read that Israel has already shriven itself in the matter of the Egypyian policemen

that were killed last week, the policemen were either killed by terrorists or perhaps assisting the terrorists
That being said it is worth noting that the Muslim Brotherhood does not support this protest and is backing the current government in its efforts against terrorists in the Sinai region

and perhaps it is time to take a look at the Camp David treaty, not to totally abolish it but to perhaps alter it as times have changed

[eyl]

13. Those are some heories proposed

Israel but no definitive statements have been made by official Israeli sources as of yet

[azurnoir]

29. this 'report' from Ynet makes it sound a bit more than a theory on Israels part

The IDF did everything in its power to prevent Egyptian troops from getting hurt in last Thursday's multiple terror attacks near Eilat, inquiries conducted by both the IDF and the Egyptian army showed. The IDF also found that at least three of the terrorists were Egyptian citizens.

Head of the General Staff's Planning Branch Amir Eshel, who traveled to Cairo early this week to present to Egyptian officials the findings of the IDF's initial investigation, even brought photographic evidence to the fact.

The evidence shows that contrary to Egyptian media reports, the IDF's attack helicopters avoided hitting Egyptian military vehicles and troops stationed at the border.

Videos shot from the aircraft show that the troops intentionally diverted fire from the Egyptian all-terrain vehicles and soldiers towards open areas near the border base, from which the terrorist sniper fire originated.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4113302,00.html

[King_David]

30. 'perhaps it is time to take a look at the Camp David treaty'

At Egypt's peril.

Like the return of the Sinai Peninsula ?

They get to decide if that is worthwhile or not.

[bemildred]

20. 'Million man' anti-Israel rally in Cairo attracts only hundreds

Hundreds of Egyptians gathered Friday outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo in what was supposed to be a "million-man march" calling on the government to expel Israel's ambassador.

Most Egyptian protest groups announced that they would participate in the demonstration to expel the ambassador over the border incident last week in which five Egyptian policemen were killed by the IDF. However, the protesters who actually arrived were far fewer in number.

The police deaths occurred on August 19 during a shootout with militants near the Egyptian border, following attacks on a bus and other vehicles killed eight Israelis.

"The people want the right of our martyrs in Sinai be regained," protesters, holding the Egyptian flags, chanted outside the embassy amid tight security. Others shouted: "The people's first demand is to have the ambassador evicted."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/million-man-anti-israel-rally-in-cairo-attracts-only-hundreds-1.380903

[LeftishBrit]

25. Good

Often there aren't as many extremists as some hope for!

Although there are conflicting reports, it also sounds as though fewer attended the Glenn Beck rally than he hoped, and that quite a few of those who did attend were Christian Zionists who travelled from America, rather than Israelis.

[bemildred]

26. Having seen a few failed "million man marches" here in the USA,

I was not surprised that this one was a dud. I would wager the average Egyptian has other and more fundamental issues on his mind, like food, and Egyptian domestic politics.

[Fozzledick]

27. Whew! That's a relief!

I was envisioning a million suicidal volunteers for a human wave attack. Seems like their bark is worse than their bite.

[azurnoir]

28. no it seems that the IDF soldier killed was actually killed by friendly fire

and reports say that Israel is to allow Egypt to have more troops in Sinai, the call for the protest was almost a week ago and things have been rapidly changing

[oberliner]

31. Hundreds demand expulsion of Israeli ambassador at embassy

Hundreds of Egyptians protested Friday in front of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo to demand the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, following the killing of six military and security personnel by Israeli military forces at the Egypt-Israel border eight days ago.

The protesters chanted: "The people want retribution for the Sinai martyrs" and "The masses' primary demand is the expulsion of the ambassador."

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/489921

Lovely photo included as well from the Egyptian press.