With Morsi gone, the Egyptian Army arrests Hamas members with weapon &amp; explosives anticipating a terrorist attacks.

Muslim Brotherhood Official: Egypt’s Army ‘Worse Than the Jews’

Muslim Brotherhood leaders and Egypt’s ranking Army officers traded blame about the ‘massacre’ in Cairo on Monday.

By David Lev

Egypt’s temporary President Adli Mansour announced the establishment of a commission of inquiry which will investigate the events surrounding the deaths of at least 51 people Monday in clashes outside a military building in Cairo. At least 435 people were wounded as well in the incident.

Riots in Egypt – Photo: Reuters

Most of those killed were Muslim Brotherhood members, and the chain of events leading to the deaths were being hotly contested by the Brotherhood and the Egyptian Army. The Brotherhood claimed that those killed were innocent, doing nothing more than holding a sit-in against the ousting of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in what they described as an “illegal coup.”

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: antisemitism, Egypt, Egypt Unrest

israelandstuffcom | July 8, 2013

Muslim Brotherhood Kidnap Two Egyptian Soldiers After ‘Massacre’

Abducted soldiers were coerced to making pro-Morsi statements on a loudspeaker even as one was being badly beaten.

By Gil Ronen

Armed supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi kidnapped two Egyptian soldiers in the Ain Shams area of Cairo, an Al Arabiya correspondent reported Monday.

Morsi supporters gather outside a Republican Guard building in Cairo – Reuters

An army official, cited by state news agency MENA, confirmed the news, adding that the soldiers were pushed into a vehicle and forced to make pro-Morsi and anti-military statements on a loudspeaker.

Identifying the two as Samir Abdallah Ali and Azzam Hazem Ali, the military spokesman added that one soldier was “severely beaten” even as he was making the pro-Morsi statements. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: kidnapping, Mohammed Morsi

israelandstuffcom | July 7, 2013

IDF on Sinai border: Security coordination with Egypt remains uninterrupted

Despite political upheaval in Egypt, it continues to be in the interest of both sides to fight terror cells, says IDF liaison officer; ‘Egyptians are doing good work.’

By Gili Cohen

Security coordination with Egypt remains in good shape despite the political turmoil in Cairo, Israeli officers serving in the border area say.

Egyptian soldiers stand guard on at the border between Egypt and southern Gaza Strip, July 5, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

According to the rules of engagement, if the Israel Defense Forces spots armed men approaching the border, the preference is to let the Egyptians take action.

“In most cases the Egyptians are doing good work,” said a liaison officer. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt, Gaza, IDF, Mohammed Morsi, Sinai

Kerry’s plan for restarting talks: prisoner release & settlement freeze

U.S. Sec of St John Kerry’s plan to restart peace talks: Israel will release 103 Palestinian terrorists from prison, freeze home construction outside major towns & a $4B transfer to the Palestinian leaders by the U.S.

The Palestinians are still not satisfied.

By Elor Levy

US Secretary of State John Kerry‘s plan to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians calls for the release of some 103 Palestinian prisoners serving time in Israeli prisons from a time prior to the signing Oslo accords, London-based Al Hayat reported, citing Western diplomatic sources.

Kerry, Abbas – Photo: Reuters

According to a Palestinian source, the difference of opinions between the two sides remain large, as the Palestinians demand the release of all 103 together and a complete halt in settlement constriction. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: John Kerry, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian prisoners, Peace plan, settlement freeze

Coptic Christian Priest assassinated in latest Egyptian violence

The murder of Mina Aboud Sharween, a spiritual leader of Egypt’s 8 million Christians, is attributed to his supporting Morsi’s removal.

This latest sectarian attack appears to be 1st sign of ethnic violence since ouster of elected Islamist president Morsi.

By REUTERS

CAIRO- Gunmen shot dead a Coptic Christian priest in Egypt’s lawless Northern Sinai on Saturday in what could be the first sectarian attack since the military overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, security sources said.

A cross and a Koran at an anti-Morsi protest in Tahrir Square, July 4, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

At least 30 people died and more than 1,000 were wounded after Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement called “Friday of Rejection” protests across the country and tried to march on the military compound where the ousted president is held.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Christians, Egyptian Coptic Christians

Britain asks EU to Reconsider and Blacklist Hizbullah

The UK’s push to have Hizbullah blacklisted may have gained support due to the group’s actions in Syria, say diplomats.

By Elad Benari, Canada

Britain has asked European Union foreign ministers to once again discuss putting Hizbullah’s so-called “military wing” on the EU terror list, diplomats said on Friday.

Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah – Photo: AFP

Several weeks ago, a British drive to reach a unanimous decision to blacklist Hizbullah failed, when the EU expressed fear that such a move would lead to instability in Lebanon and the Middle East.

Austria and the Czech Republic opposed the move to add Hizbullah to the EU terrorist list, which includes several groups such as Hamas and Colombia’s FARC guerrillas, who are subject to an asset freeze. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Avigdor Lieberman, blacklist, EU, Hezbollah, UK

Explosions Heard at Regime’s Ammunition Depots in Syria

Explosions rocked several of the army’s ammunition depots just north of Latakia.

Rebels blame the explosions on Israel.

By Elad Benari,

Explosions rocked several army ammunition depots in the western Syrian province of Latakia on Friday, possibly after they were targeted with rockets, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, according to the AFP news agency.

A Google map image showing Mushayrafet al-Samouk, Syria where the blasts were reportedly heard.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said there were reports of deaths and injuries in the blasts but he had no further details.

“Explosions around dawn today rocked an area… in the east of Latakia apparently as a result of blasts in ammunitions depots near a brigade of regime forces,” the Observatory said in an email quoted by AFP. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Syrian rebels

Muslim Brotherhood claims Egypt’s interim president is a Jew

Wash Post reports: MB website claims Israel & U.S. conspiring to insert ElBaradei as Egyptian President

By JPOST.COM STAFF

The Muslim Brotherhood claimed in a post on its official website that Egypt’s new interim president Adli Mansour is Jewish, The Washington Post reported on Friday. The article on IkhwanOnline was subsequently removed.

Egyptian interim president Adli Mansour is sworn in, July 4, 2013 – Photo: Reuters

Mansour, who previously served as the constitutional court’s chief justice was sworn in as interim president on Thursday after the army removed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi from power.

According to the Post, the article falsely stated that Mansour is “considered to be a Seventh Day Adventist, which is a Jewish sect.”

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt Unrest, Muslim Brotherhood

Egypt seals Rafah crossing – Gaza Closed Indefinitely

Decision comes after Islamist gunmen staged multiple terror attacks on Egypt security forces 2 days after Army Generals forcibly replaced Islamist president Morsi.

By DPA and Reuters

Egypt has indefinitely closed the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip following attacks on security forces in northern Sinai, a security official said Friday.

Palestinians walking toward the Egyptian border crossing with Gaza in Rafah, Egypt

Palestinians walk toward the Egyptian border crossing with Gaza in Rafah, Egypt, Aug. 2012.- Photo: AP

The crossing was opened in 2011 following the ouster of Egyptian president Hosny Mubarak, whose administration opposed the Hamas rulers in Gaza, and helped Israel to enforce a blockade on the enclave.

Early on Friday, Islamist gunmen staged multiple attacks on security forces on Sinai two days after the army overthrew elected Islamist President Mohammed Morsi

The security sources said a soldier was killed and two were wounded when a police station in Rafah on the border with the Gaza Strip came under rocket fire. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt-Gaza, Gaza, Rafah Crossing

6 Gulf States Targeting Hezbollah with Sanctions

Senior Gulf Cooperation Council officials met in the Saudi capital to coordinate sanctions against Hizbullah because of the Shiite terrorist organization’s support for the Syrian regime.

By Elad Benari

Senior Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) officials met in Riyadh on Thursday to coordinate sanctions in the six member states against Lebanon’s Shiite Hizbullah terror group over its support for the Syrian regime, AFP reported.

Hizbullah flag – AFP photo

The meeting was “to develop mechanisms to monitor movements, financial transactions and business operations of Hizbullah,” said Bahraini deputy interior minister Khaled al-Absi, according to the news agency.

The GCC monarchies decided on June 10 to impose sanctions on Hizbullah, targeting residency permits and its financial and business activities in reprisal for the group’s armed intervention in Syria. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: GCC, Hizbollah, Syria, Syria Unrest

In wake of Morsi’s fall, the PLO calls on Gazans to overthrow Hamas

The Palestinian Authority rejoices in Morsi’s fall, calling on Gazans to exploit situation and revolt against Hamas.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

Palestinian Authority leaders on Thursday expressed joy over the downfall of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s regime, with some calling on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to follow suit and topple the Hamas government.

HAMAS GUNMEN hold a poster depicting Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza City June 2012.

HAMAS GUNMEN hold a poster depicting Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza City – Photo: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

Meanwhile, Palestinian analysts predicted that the collapse of the Muslim Brotherhood regime in Egypt would undermine Hamas, which in the past year has been emboldened by Morsi’s rise to power.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Fatah, Gaza, hamas, Mahmoud Abbas, PLO

israelandstuffcom | July 4, 2013

Hamas Terrorists Try to Monopolize on Egyptian Coup D’etat

With Morsi gone, the Egyptian Army arrests Hamas members with weapon & explosives anticipating a terrorist attacks.

By Chana Ya’ar

Arab terrorists are attempting to take advantage of the chaos that inevitably follows a coup d’etat, but the Egyptian Army appears to have been prepared for that possibility.

In a Cairo suburb, security forces arrested four people on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. All four were members of the Hamas terrorist organization, a security source told the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper.

Explosives were found in the apartment during a search, as well as military and police uniforms. The suspects were taken into custody for interrogation. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt Unrest, Hamas terrorist. Egypt

israelandstuffcom | July 3, 2013

Egyptian Army Removed Egypt’s 1st Democratically Elected President

Egyptian General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi suspends constitution, appoints head of the constitutional court as interim head of state.

By REUTERS

Egyptian General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi effectively declared the removal of elected Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in a televised broadcast, flanked by military leaders, religious authorities and political figures on Wednesday.

Morsi supporters hold up his posters in Cairo, July 3- REUTERS

The head of Egypt’s armed forces issued a declaration suspending the constitution and appointing the head of the constitutional court as interim head of state.

Sisi called for presidential and parliamentary elections, a panel to review the constitution and a national reconciliation committee that would include youth movements.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, protests

israelandstuffcom | July 3, 2013