2 - 8 May 2002
Issue No.584
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 2 - 8 May 2002 Issue No.584 |
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Sharon fallout in parliament
Opposition MPs lashed out against the government's allegedly feeble response to Israeli war crimes against the Palestinans, and harsh clampdown on protest demonstrations. Gamal Essam El-Din reports
Enraged MPs slammed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's bloody war against the Palestinians at an extraordinary session of the People's Assembly on 9 April. This week, MPs were still fuming but now their target was senior government officials. The thrust of the MPs' anger was threefold.
First to be attacked was Prime Minister Atef Ebeid. Gamal Heshmat of the Muslim Brotherhood, submitted "an information request" to the Assembly's Speaker Fathi Sorour demanding Ebeid apologise for ... a press interview with Al-Watan, a Qatari newspaper. Heshmat was furious that Ebeid had described calls for Egypt to expel Israel's ambassador, as "unacceptable and insulting to the Egyptian people and leadership."
"You should have $100 billion at your disposal if you decide to move against Israel... We need $100 billion." Ebeid declared, in the interview. "Ask the Arab world to allocate $100 billion, from its global financial resources to Egypt as 'a confrontation budget.' Our calculations can change only when we have $100 billion at our disposal."
However, a day later, Ebeid urged the media to read his interview "in its entirety and not as parts separate from each other." Ebeid said his aim was to convey a message to those who tend to forget their responsibilities in times of crisis. "My message to all is clear. Before you give lessons to others, please demonstrate your good intentions and ...(help finance) the cause you speak about." But Ebeid added, "The Egyptian army is not an army of mercenaries, Egypt's [political] will... can never be sold for money."
Next to launch an attack was Wafdist MP, Mohamed Abdel-Alim, who lashed out against what he described as the government's feeble implementation of its decision to suspend all relations with Israel, except for diplomatic channels relevant to the situation in Palestine.
Abdel-Alim attacked the government for maintaining ties with Israel, particularly in the agricultural and textiles sectors.
Youssef Wali, deputy prime minister and minister of Agriculture, expressed his surprise at the accusation. "You know that agriculture is my first and only love. However, I can never accept maintaining agricultural cooperation with Israel at a time (when) Sharon is pursuing his criminal war against the Palestinians and desecrating Christian holy places in Bethlehem," he said. Unimpressed, Abdel-Alim insisted that lots of Israeli experts and technicians remain in Egypt. "The government's failure to expel them... exposes the Egyptian economy and national security to great dangers," he said. Abdel-Alim, who works as a journalist covering labour news for the opposition Wafd newspaper, also charged the government with failing to ban Egyptian workers from travelling to Israel.
Abdel-Alim told Al-Ahram Weekly that his question was based on a recent Foreign Trade Ministry report, which revealed that Israel is among Egypt's five most important export markets. "Most of the commercial exchange with Israel is focused on oil and agricultural products," Abdel-Alim said. The report, however, shows that the value of Egyptian exports to Israel dropped from $269 million in 2000 to $189 million in 2001. The drop, the report said, was largely a result of the Intifada.
The Police also came under parliamentary fire. "Security forces resorted to unacceptable, arbitrary and unlawful practices in dealing with [Palestine solidarity] demonstrations ... by Alexandria University students," independent MP Adel Eid said. "It is clear that the security forces were able to use non-violent measures to deal with peaceful student demonstrations such as strong water hoses, but they ... didn't," as a result, Adel Eid argued, Mohamed El-Saqqa, a 19-year-old student, died and many others were badly injured.
Eid called upon the Speaker to instruct Health Ministry officials to give him "all the necessary forensic and medical reports on El-Saqqa and the injured students." Adel Eid believes only such reports would determine the culpability of the security forces.
The clash between Alexandria's students and security forces was discussed for six hours by parliament's defence and national security committee. The debate revealed that in addition to one death, several students lost their sight, 30 were badly injured and 300 were lightly wounded. Higher Education Minister Moufid Shehab and Interior Ministry officials retorted that security forces exercised the utmost self-restraint, "but ...(they) have other obligations such as safeguarding public property and combating saboteurs."
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