From Wikileaks on attitudes to Israel

"Comment: Almost all of Egyptian civil society maintains a negative attitude toward Israel, consistent with the public's anger at the Israeli occupation and military actions against Palestinians, and would rule out any contact with the Israeli Government. XXXXXXXXXXXX's engagement with the Israeli Government is exceptional in this context, and the GOE is loath for any civil society activist -- particularly a member of the NDP -- to challenge the status quo. End comment." (thanks Laleh)


PS But if you count the Mubarak family mafia as "civil society," then it can be counted as a friend of Israel.

This is incredible

The Middle East experts of CNN maintain that the kook, Ayman Adh-Dhawahiri is a contender for leadership in Egypt.  How dumb is that? And how sinister?  (thanks Abdullah)

Egyptian flags in Jaffa

"Muslim and Christian residents, as well as Jewish left-wing activists, are charging that religious settlers who moved to Jaffa are abusing Arabs in town and stirring provocations.  Many protestors carried Egyptian and Palestinian flags, chanting "Allahu Akbar" and "we'll liberate Jaffa with blood."" 

Bahrain next?

Comrades in Bahrain are informing me of protests planned.  A lot of organization is going into the planning.  Also, there are protests planned in Syria on February 5th.  I can't keep up.  

`Umar Sulayman

For Mubarak to appoint `Umar Sulayman as his deputy to release public pressures, is akin to Stalin appointing Beria as his successor to deflect public criticisms.

Egyptian workers

Don't forget Egyptian workers who had started the protests against Mubarak a few years ago.  Here is a link that they want to circulate although they still don't have internet.  (thanks Shawna)

Ahmad Zuwail

Ahmad Zuwayl, the Egyptian scientist who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry, issued a tough statement through Aljazeera about the need for a change of regime in Egypt. It was pretty good. I still observe a boycott of Zuwayl because he had accepted an award from the Zionist usurping entity.

Irshad Manji

A colleague in the US sent me this: "Irshad Manji was on CNN yesterday on the Spitzer-Parker show. They were hanging on her every word about the Middle East/Arab-Islamic world….She was asked if events in Egypt will re-ignite the Green Movement in Iran and she replied (and I’m not joking) – Egyptians are Sunni, Iranians are Shia, the Shia believe in fatalism and in delayed moral victories not political victories, so no, these events will not affect Iran.  Can you believe this?  If you post on your blog, please remove my name (I don’t have tenure yet !)"
PS For my debate with her, go here.

Saudi princes

Don't be alarmed. Saudi princes have been evacuated from Egyptian brothels.

Aljazeera won the day

The New York Times has been right about one thing: that Aljazeera is now on top.  It is in ascension.  It has defeated all potential rivals hands down.  Not one channel is close.  IT has such influence although it sometimes annoys me like when it put Tele-Islamist demagogue, `Amr Khalid on today.  He claimed that he is with the youth.  The man never spoke against Mubarak.  He reminds me of those opportunists who distance themselves from the ancien regime in the last hour: like the Bin `Ali's ambassador in UNESCO.

Jeffrey Feltman and developments in Egypt

Jeffrey Feltman was asked about events in Egypt.  He said: the events in Cairo strike me as uniquely Cairean.  When asked about events in Egypt again, he said: the events in Suez strike me as uniquely Suezean.   When asked yet again about events in Alexandria, he said: the events in Alexandria strike me as uniquely Alexandrian.

Israel's years are numbered

I received a message from a childhood friend that made me cry.  He is a Palestinian from Jaffa.  He described to me his plans to take his kids to see their great grandfather's house in Jaffa--after the full liberation of Palestine.  I am invited.

Protest in San Francisco

The protest and march in San Francisco was quite impressive.  Hundreds of Arabs and Americans gathered to denounce Husni Mubarak and US support for the Egyptian dictatorship.  You saw Arabs from different backgrounds cheering the people of Tunisia and Egypt.   I am not good as a speak at rallies: I can't yell to crowd in the manner of: What do we want? Etc.  But I obliged and said a few words.  Joe (six pack) Biden was mocked by all.  We then marched to UN plaza in San Francisco.   The Palestinian, Tunisian, Egyptian and US flags mixed together.  I carried one sign.  It said: "Mubarak Totters, Zionists weep."

"My Beloved Homeland"

Listen to this orchestral song, Watani Habibi: Al-Watan Al-Akhbar (My Beloved Homeland, The Greater Homeland) (thanks Raed)

Pictures of the Egyptian Uprising

Matthew Cassel's photo chronicle.

`Umar Sulayman family album

That is `Umar Sulayman.  (thanks Daniel)

Psychological Operations against the Arab people

Watch out.  Be careful.  There has been political psychological operations against the Arabs in publications close to the Mossad (like the Telegraph in the UK and that lousy site, Debka--or whatever it is called).  They intend to imply that the US is orchestrating the protests in Egypt.  Those rumors aim at 1) Imply that Arabs have no agency. That they can't act on their own and out of their own volition. 2) to exaggerate the ability of the US to control events in the Middle East. 3) to imply that the US never is hit in the face in the region.  4) to enhance the image of the US as one that is on the side of the people.  5) to discredit the protest movement in the eye of the Arabs to make it an American plot.  Beware.

Israeli occupation embassy in Amman

I have received information that there has been evacuations at the Israeli occupation embassy in Amman in the last few days.  The day when no Israeli flag will fly in an Arab capital is near.  (Oh, there would still be flags to burn and to stomp on, of course.)

Portraits of Egyptian leaders

A demonstrator in Egypt commented to me that not one picture of Sadat was raised during the demonstrations.  A few carried the pictures of Nasser.  But I assume that you shall see portraits of Mubarak family being stomped on.  More soon.

LA Times has the dumbest take on Egypt yet

"The breadth of the revolt was an indication that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Muslim Brotherhood, the country's largest opposition party, can bring out large numbers of people when aligned with student activists and young professionals worried about their future."

The only Israeli flag in the Arab world is now in Amman

Comrade Electronic Ali tweeted this: "Departure of Israel embassy staff from Cairo leaves Amman as only Arab capital of normalization. How shameful for Jordan!"

Israel hearts Mubarak

""'Democracy is something beautiful,' said Eli Shaked, who was Israel's ambassador to Cairo from 2003 to 2005, in an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE. 'Nevertheless, it is very much in the interests of Israel, the United States and Europe that Mubarak remains in power.'"" (thanks Basil)

Martin Indyk freaking out

"Mr. Indyk said, “If we don’t back Mubarak and the regime falls, and the Muslim Brotherhood takes control of Egypt and breaks the peace treaty with Israel, then it could have dramatic negative ramifications for American interests in the Middle East.”"

Joe (six pack) Biden and his wife about Husni Mubarak and his wife

"Joe: "Hey Folks ? have just met with President Mubarak ... and Jill has just met Mrs. Mubarak. [..] We are working very closely, trying to deal with the Crisis in Gaza as well as Israeli Palestinian peace.   They have been one of the few countries that have been forward leaning in Iraq ...and they are also engaged in Afghanistan. But Jill, you were out with Mrs., Mubarak? 
 Jill:"yeah ? and we found that really we have so much in common. She  is engaged with women?s issues and children?s issues... and she has established a peace park... I went to see [it], what she is doing and how important it is for children especially to feel a sense of peace in the world!"
Joe adds: "I have known President and Mrs. Mubarak now since a long, long time, since back in the late 70ies, even before he became President. We met on scores of occasions and it's good to see him and  in good health!"" (thanks Don)

The Egyptian foreign minister (royal buffoon)

"This is a tweet from Bahrain's foreign minister today:  "Speech by #Egypt 's president Husni Mubarak's is encouraging . Egypt will settle and genuinely move forward" (thanks Fahad)

Lies of Israel

Asa sent me this: "BBC TV reported this morning that 200 "Israeli tourists" are due to be flown out of Egypt on a special El Al flight.  They also said they that they had not been able to reach the Israeli embassy in Cairo!!"  Only when they arrived in Israel did the lying Israeli government admit that they are Israeli occupation embassy staff and their families.

Saudi King reassures Mubarak--or the other way round

"Saudi Arabia's king condemned protesters in Egypt on Saturday as "infiltrators" seeking to destabilize their country.  King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud called Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and "was reassured" about the situation in Egypt, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported."  (thanks Sarah)

The Lebanese Forces and Egypt

As is know, the Egyptian intelligence service closely sponsors the Lebanese Forces militia in Lebanon.  Here is their sympathy with Mubarak from their website:
"15:37أكثر من 1000 مصري يحاولون اقتحام مبنى وزارة الداخلية والشرطة ترد باطلاق النار

15:34مواطنون مصريون يشكلون سلسلة بشرية لحماية المتحف الوطني من أعمال السلب والتخريب

15:32الشعب المصري يطالب الجيش بحماية المواطنين من الفوضى والسلب التي يمارسها المتظاهرون

15:24المواطنون في الاسكندرية يشكلون لجانا شعبية لحماية الأحياء والممتلكات من أعمال النهب والتخريب التي يمارسها المتظاهرون"

 (thanks Mohammad)

I wonder why: the flight of tears

"The national airline El AL has whisked some 200 Israelis, including families of Israeli diplomats, out of Egypt on board an emergency flight to escape the chaos engulfing the Arab country.  Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman decided on Friday to remove the diplomatic families from Egypt. A special El Al flight including dozens of tourists as well as diplomat's families landed at Ben Gurion Airport early Saturday evening." 

The military spokesman

The appearance of an Egyptian military spokesman on Egyptian TV will only make things worse.  He really appeared to personify the caricature of military junta of 1960s dictatorships in Latin America.  It reminded me of Woody Allen's movie, Bananas.

Ask the Zionists

If the Zionists, who have been reassuring themselves, are right that there are no foreign policy connotations to the protests in Egypt, why did the Zionists quickly remove all Israeli flags from Egypt?

I wonder why: Obama does not want free elections in Egypt

"He called on Mr. Mubarak to open a dialogue with the demonstrators, though he did not go as far as to urge free and fair elections."

US is pushing for the rule of generals in Egypt

The appointment of Ahmad Shafiq, as the new prime minister, is yet another indication that the US is trying to arrange for its puppet generals in the Egyptian army to rule the country on behalf of Israel.  I doubt that this plot would work and it will likely backfire.

You supposed to feel sorry for Obama now

"The mushrooming protests confront the administration with one of the most nettlesome foreign policy dilemmas it has faced, forcing it to abandon the careful balance that Mr. Obama and his predecessors have struck between supporting the democratic aspirations of the Egyptian people while reaffirming ties with Mr. Mubarak. This same calculation has governed American dealings with other Arab allies led by entrenched autocratic rulers, notably Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

In each case, the overriding concern is that the same people who are clamoring for change could choose leaders who are hostile to the United States, or are even extremists."

Al-Baradi`i

I don't understand how Al-Baradi`i can go to Egypt and claim to be able to lead the Egyptian people.  He has been out of the country for decades.  I am often asked by people in Lebanon why I refrain from writing an agenda for change or from playing a political role there at some point.  I always say: I don't dare do that. I have lived in the US more than half of my life and I won't never presume to speak for people over there.  People should be modest about that.

PS Oh, I also say that if I were to play a political role there, I won't last. That I would be killed.

The Egyptian demagogue: Al-Baradi`i as a radical now

"Dr. ElBaradei, whose doctorate, from New York University, is in international law, directed much of his anger at the West, faulting the United States and others for what he described as a hesitant response to a popular uprising demanding freedom, human rights and the rule of law.

“If the international community is not speaking now, then when?” he asked. “If they continue to be complacent, if they continue to support this barbaric regime, they should not be surprised that they have zero credibility in Egypt and the rest of the Arab world.”"

ISRAELI FLAG REMOVED FROM CAIRO

Matthew sent me this from Cairo:  "i just drove by what used to be the israeli embassy in cairo. it's now completely empty, the staff has fled. there is no longer an israeli flag hanging in cairo or anywhere else in egypt."

Israelis in Egypt

Aljazeera is reporting that families of the staff of the Israeli occupation embassy in Cairo have arrived in Tel Aviv.  It is reported that their tears caused flooding in occupied Palestine.

Irony: the Syrian regime seems more secure than the pro-US dictatorships

It is rather ironic, is it not?  Of course, I want the Syrian regime to be overthrown and I wish for the Syrian people to succeed in ridding themselves of that regime but it seems--at least seems--that the Syrian regime appears less insecure than the pro-US Arab dictatorships.  Oh, and Gulf dictatorships also seem secure too for the time being.  The US would deploy troops to save House of Saud, I bet.

Desperate US

The US is now desperate. It wants (for its imperial interests and for Israel) to preserve the dictatorial regime at all costs.  I won't be surprised that US forces Mubarak to appoint 30 vice-presidents in the hope that one of them would click.

Panic in DC

Comrade Joseph sent me this: "Maybe the Americans and Mubarak in their panic will end up burning every possible American candidate by having him named as a possible successor, and this includes ‘Umar Suleiman."

Queen Youtube: I bet she is not in Davos this year

I bet that Queen Youtube of Jordan won't try to be cute on Twitter anymore.  But I am looking forward to reading her tweets from exile.

`Umar Sulayman

Aljazeera is reporting that demonstrators are now chanting against `Umar Sulayman.

Khalid Said: the story that the West has missed

Things in Egypt had been cooking for a while.  The Western press has missed a major story: that of Khalid Said.  Expect that his name will be immortalized in Egypt now.  It was his murder by Mubarak security goons that captured the imagination of the Egyptian youth. Many Egyptians (and other Arabs) changed their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter into "We are all Khalid Said."

Maybe Joe (six pack) Biden is right: that Mubarak hearts democracy

This form last week only--I KID YOU NOT:  ""Mubarak affirmed during the meeting his full support to the democracy in Lebanon without weapons," Gemayal added."