CAIRO: While Arab nations protested and chanted against the Israeli raids on Gaza, much of that anger was directed at Egypt, calling for it to open the Rafah border and allow injured Palestinians in.
Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah spearheaded the campaign against Egypt, criticizing its regime for “its reaction towards the Gaza attacks and its failure to open its border.
On Sunday, Nasrallah urged Egyptians to force their government to open Egypt’s border with Gaza.
“I am not calling for a coup in Egypt … but if you [the Egyptian government] do not open the Rafah crossing, if you do not help the Palestinian people, you will be considered accomplices in the massacre and the blockade, he said.
Nasrallah’s speech that was broadcast live on all satellite channels from Beirut came a few hours after the Egyptian embassy in Beirut was attacked by stone-throwing demonstrators on Sunday.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni’s visit to Egypt a day prior to the attacks further implicated Egypt’s stance on the situation.
In an editorial published in Al-Ra’i Kuwaiti newspaper titled “The questions of the hour, Egyptian journalist Fahmi Howeidi addressed 16 questions to the Egyptian and Palestinian political leaderships along with the international community concerning the attacks.
In his editorial, Howeidi asked whether Egypt, and other Arab countries, were aware of the attacks beforehand. He also contested Egypt’s stance on the matter, as opposed to Turkey, which threatened to end its brokering of the Syrian/Israeli peace talks as a result of the attacks.
Addressing the Palestinian leadership, Howeidi wondered how many votes “Abu Mazen would get should another election take place after the “massacre.
He also asked whether the Israeli raids were meant to “discipline Hamas or [destroy] it.
Finally, Howeidi debated the possibility of holding peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel after these attacks.
Moreover, Abdallah Al-Ashaal, Egyptian political analyst, wrote an editorial titled “Who can save Gaza from the Zionist conspiracy and the International accomplices? that was sent to Daily News Egypt.
In his first paragraph, Al-Ashaal linked Livni’s visit to Cairo with the attacks on Gaza.
Al-Ashaal accused Egypt of paving the road to Israel to commit its assault.
Saudi Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni on Sunday issued a fatwa in which he stated, “All (Israeli) interests, and anything else related to Israel, are a permitted target for Muslims everywhere.
Sheikh Al-Qarni also condemned the Arab governments, mainly Egypt, which he accused of being “part of the conspiracy.
“The recent visit by [Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi] Livni to Egypt, and Egyptian officials embracing her in front of cameras, followed by her confirmation that the situation in Gaza is going to change, and the lack of any response from Egyptian officials are part of the conspiracy, he said.
Sheikh Al-Qarni slammed Egypt’s security reinforcements on the borders with Gaza “to ban Palestinians from breaking through the borders, saying it is “proof of a conspiracy.
Mohamed Khalil Kwaitah, member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the People’s Assembly (PA), rejected claims that indict Egypt.
Egypt lost more than 100,000 of its people who died for the Palestinian cause along with more than LE 100 billion in donations to the Palestinians, he told Daily News Egypt.
“Egypt received more than 20,000 Palestinians who crossed over to Egypt since the start of the Palestinian struggle, Kwaitah said.
“I totally condemn the barbaric attacks on the Palestinian lands, Kwaitah said. “Although the Israeli attacks were targeting Hamas; the Palestinian people are the ones who paid the price.
Kwaitah said that Egypt “has been and will always continue to be the leader of the Arab nation and the main and strongest entity in the region supporting the Palestinian cause.
He said that the campaign against Egypt is led by “some small Arab nations who hate Egypt and seek to destroy it and its power in the region. -Additional reporting by AFP
