Ikhwan, Independent MPs consider Sit In At Tahrir Square

The third consultative meeting held by the Muslim Brotherhood and independent MPs witnessed strong criticism to the Arab regime’s position in general and the Egyptian one in particular toward the Israeli crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, calling for organizing a funeral-like procession with a moment of silence as a sign of the death of the Arab League. The deputies also lashed out at the political leadership for its failure to reply to the memo submitted by the MPs to Abdeen Presidential Palace where the officials promised to reply to the memo either in the press or through a presidential statement. The deputies also called on President Mubarak to meet them to put them in the picture about all issues in line with his meetings with the NDP deputies. Dr. Gamal Zahran, an independent MP, affirmed that excluding about 25% of members of Parliament from the meetings held with the NDP is unconstitutional. MP Ibrahim Zakarya Younus urged the deputies to take a new, practical stance after the failure of the Arab rulers to take a decisive step toward the Israeli massacres, calling for announcing a black list of those public figures who call for normalization with Israel or who are in for economic or political activities with it . He lamented that there are Arab states including Egypt which funnel millions of dollars in trade deals, thus further reinforcing the Israeli economy. He called for meeting the Grand Sheikh of Azhar to call on him to rally the Azhar scholars on a unified stand toward the Israeli aggression, urging the deputies to launch pro resistacne fund raising campaigns. The MPs pointed out that the world lives a jungle- like era.” Survival for the strongest has become the criteria of the international politics”, said MP Ahmed Abu Baraka, citing the US’ use of force to hold  sway on the UN Security Council as well as the Arab regimes, so much so that the Security Council didn’t dare to even condemn the US- backed Israeli massacres against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, while it supported the right of the Israelis to self defense”.  The deputy also said that the same criteria is used within Parliament where the majority has blocked the holding of an emergency meeting, accusing the Arab regime of such a failure that the entire nation has been put to shame by them. On the recent Israeli war on Lebanon, the deputies said that the Security Council resolution only came to save Israel after it has sustained defeat at the hands of Hizbullah. “The resolution has been made to spoil the euphoria which prevailed the Arab and Islamic countries after the victory achieved by Hizbullah” said MP Dr. Mohamed el Beltagui who added that the resolution didn’t bear any condemnation to the Israeli crimes nor did it refer to the Lebanese prisoners. On the steps which the MPs intend to take, MB Parliamentary Bloc Chairman Dr. Saad el Katatni, who chaired the meeting, said that the deputies intend to take a course of action in the form of activities to be launched in the coming days, including holding an international press conference to put the local and international public opinion in the picture about crucial facts topped by the recent Security Council resolution and its repercussions on the Egyptian national security. Katatni also said that a memo undersigned by the Ikhwan and independent MPs will be submitted to the Parliament in which the deputies will call for reconsidering Camp David Accord, meeting with President Mubarak, setting up a tent in front of al Tahrir Civil Service Complex to voice their condemnation of the Israeli crimes, calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, and posting the Arab parliaments on the day when the MPs will stage a sit in as a sign of protest against the Israeli practices which included abduction of the Palestinian Legislation Council Speaker as well as ministers and deputies in the Palestinian Authority.” The deputies demands include a black list of those who advocate normalization or have business relations with Israel”, he said.