CAIRO: Security forces allowed 20 people to demonstrate near the Israeli embassy in protest at Egypt exporting natural gas to the Jewish state.
This demonstration is the first of its kind since 2000, when security forces clashed with demonstrators who tried to approach the embassy during a wave of protests at the onset of the second Palestinian intifada.
Bloggers called for Tuesday’s demonstration via the internet but the participation was limited to members of the frozen Labor Party.
Protestors held banners that said “No to exporting Egyptian gas to Israel and “To this era’s pharaoh: We don’t want Jews in Egypt.
Magdy Hassan, the party’s secretary general, used a microphone to address passersby standing on the other side of the street in front of the Giza Zoo.
“There’s a belief that approaching the embassy is a red line, but we had faith in the security apparatus more than the political powers that didn’t participate, Hassan said.
“The issue of exporting Egyptian gas to Israel reflects a lot of issues that pertain to the regime.starting with Egypt’s flawed foreign policy when it comes to Israel, the corruption of the ruling class that closed the deal and selling the gas at low prices, he continued.
