Posted on 07/21/2014 3:45:49 PM PDT by Star Traveler
“I take my hat off to Israel, and I say to the army, the people, and the Israeli leadership – you’re good men,” enthused Tawfik Okasha, owner and anchor of the Egyptian television channel Al-Faraeen. Although it’s true that Okasha has a personal vendetta against the Muslim Brotherhood, which closed down his channel during their rule, statements such as these haven’t been heard in Egypt in generations. There’s no doubt that the official and public discourse in Egypt is more favorable to Israel than it is to Hamas, but it’s still too early to rejoice about any kind of miracle from above.
This discourse could turn at any given moment. Egypt is mired in a national loss much more troubling than the death of over 400 Palestinians in Gaza. Although the deaths of 22 Egyptian soldiers near the western border at the hands of unidentified terrorist gangs has drowned out discussions of Gaza, the Egyptians continue to hold the position that they, and no other state – Turkey, Qatar or any other – should mediate the diplomatic efforts at a cease-fire.
It’s not just Turkey and Qatar that are in Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi’s political crosshairs. Sissi made clear to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that he does not intend to visit the American-African summit meeting, where he was meant to meet President Obama. Instead, Sissi will send Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab and Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
People who are following this situation need to understand the following. This is real important and why Israel is working with Egypt, instead of the USA.
It’s not on Israel, this time! Kerry is going to have to deal with EGYPT and they are not friendly to those who tried to get the Muslim Brotherhood in there to take over Egypt. Obama and Kerry’s goose is COOKED for that reason - with Egypt!
Arab rifts may complicate search for Gaza truce [Israel and Hamas]
http://news.yahoo.com/arab-rifts-may-complicate-search-gaza-truce-162358992.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3183170/posts
DOHA/CAIRO (Reuters) - The push for a Gaza ceasefire risks becoming mired in a regional tussle for influence between conservative Arab states and Islamist-friendly governments, with rival powers competing to take credit for a truce, analysts and some officials say.
The main protagonists are Arab heavyweight Egypt and the tiny Gulf state of Qatar, on opposite sides of a regional standoff over Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, and its ideological patron the Muslim Brotherhood.
Both camps suggest the other is motivated as much by a desire to polish diplomatic prestige and crush political adversaries as by the humanitarian goal of protecting Palestinian lives from the Israeli military.
“Gaza has turned very suddenly into the theater in which this new alignment within the Arab world is being expressed,” said UK-based analyst Ghanem Nusseibeh.
“Gaza is the first test for these new alliances, and this has affected the possibility of reaching a ceasefire there.”
He was referring to Qatar, Turkey, Sudan and non-Arab Iran, the main members of a loose grouping of states which believe Islamists represent the future of Middle East politics.
That camp stands in increasingly overt competition with a conservative, pro-Western group led by Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, most of whom are intent on crushing the Brotherhood and see it as a threat.
That cleavage is now apparent in the diplomacy over Gaza.
— — —
This was the “new alignment” in the Middle East spoken about in a previous article from Israel, posted a few days ago! Now Gaza and Hamas is the fulcrum in the middle of this test of wills between these two major blocks. Israel has aligned itself with the Egyptian side, because both Israel and Egypt have the common goal of crushing Hamas, while the other side wants to save Hamas!
Hamas is financed and armed by Iran. Iran has a keen interest in observing and studying Iron Dome in action. The Iranians know that unless their ballistic missile counterattack penetrates Israel’s defenses and causes devastation, Israel will destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure methodologically. Egypt is financially dependent on the Saudis. The Saudis want Hamas degraded. They actually want Israel to successfully destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities and will provide covert aid. The Palestinians are being played as pawns.
Assets seized and offices ordered shut, as court bans all activities of group that runs neighbouring Gaza Strip.
An Egyptian court has banned all activities of Hamas in Egypt, in another sign that security forces are tightening their grip on the Palestinian group that runs the Gaza Strip.
Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist group by Egypt's army-backed government and has faced a security crackdown since the military ousted one of its leaders, Mohamed Morsi
I believe the Iron Dome is for short range rockets, while Iranian rockets would be intercepted by another and different system.
Yep, and that’s very good news for Israel!
No doubt Israel has additional systems. The problem is they have not been tested in combat and Iran will fire not only long range missiles from Iran but short range ballistic missiles from Syria and Lebanon. Also newer ballistic missiles are employing stealth technology. Neither Israel nor the United States should underestimate the land to land missiles and the shore to ship missiles the Chinese have developed and sold to Iran.
I want to encourage ALL FREEPERS to jump all over this Facebook page . It belongs to Ann Wright , a close associate of Medea Benjamin and Code Pink. Wright presents herself as a former U.S. Army Col. (R) and is one of the biggest organizers of anti-Israel / pro-Hamas rallies and initiatives in the U.S. Wright also goes along on every single Gaza blockade busting attempt . I believe she could be a paid Iranian agent . The U.S. does nothing to rein her in , so perhaps the least we could do is go after her Facebook organizing site ?
https://www.facebook.com/ann.wright.50?fref=browse_search
FREEP AT WILL !
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