Waves of anger in People's Assembly against Israel

The People's Assembly (PA) devoted its meeting Tuesday morning, chaired Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour, to discuss developments of the Palestinian question and current developments in Palestinian territories.

Addressing deputies at the beginning of the meeting, Sorour said that current developments and inhuman practices of Israel against the unarmed Palestinian people and their leader, President Yasser Arafat, prompted the Assembly to devote this meeting to express the angry sentiments of the Egyptian people.

Sorour reviewed efforts exerted by Egypt under the leadership of President Hosni Mubarak and the contacts and appeals which the President makes to world leaders daily, and particularly contacts between President Mubarak and US President George W.Bush, in order to restore Palestinian rights and ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all Palestinian areas which they have re-occupied.

Sorour said that the People's Assembly, in the light of these developments, called the Council of the Arab Parliamentary Union which held an emergency session in Cairo on Saturday and issued a communiqué in which it declared support to Palestinian rights and full solidarity with the Palestinian people until they achieve victory.

It also decided to support the Palestinian issue at all international forums and to provide aid to the great Palestinian People.

Deputy Hussein Megawar, representative of the Parliamentary Body of the National Democratic Party (NDP) lauded the intensive efforts being exerted by President Mubarak in the service of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.

He said that developments have shown that Israel does not want, and does not seek peace. He called for support to the Palestinian people at all levels, diplomatically and materially, and said that medical aid should be sent to help in the treatment of Palestinian causalities, the elderly, children and women.

Deputy Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Egypt has given much for the Palestinian cause.

Egypt waged four wars for the Palestinian cause and gave 100,000 martyrs and billions of pounds.

He welcomed the decision of President Mubarak to give all aid to the Palestinian people, Egypt is the strong supporter of Palestine and of all the Arabs, he said.

Khaled Mohieddin (Tagammu) said that there should be a stronger attitude; a stronger Arab support to our brothers in Palestine in order to face the present situation.

He said that the Israeli ambassador in Cairo should be expelled.

Fouad Badrawi (Wafd) denounced Israel's repressive measures against the Palestinian people.

"The open challenge of the butcher Sharon of all international resolutions means that this butcher does not want peace."

"In fact he (Sharon) has never sought to take the course of peace," he said.

He welcomed the decision taken by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to suspend the export of Iraqi oil to the United States for one month.

He called on other Arab countries to follow Iraq's example. "All should adopt one stand until Jerusalem returns to the Palestinians and the Arabs," he said.

Deputy Kamal Ahmad (independent) said that the Israeli ambassador should be asked to leave Cairo and all contacts with Israel should be severed.

The Egyptian Cabinet recently decided to halt all contacts with Israel, except diplomatic channels which serve the Palestinian cause.

Ahmad said that the current situation has arisen because of (seeking) peace with this destructive (Israeli) entity.

"There can be no peace with these terrorist butchers who do not respect their promises," he said.

Kamal Al-Shazly, Minister of People's Assembly and Shura Council Affairs, said that this issue is an issue which is of concern to the entire Egyptian people because it is an issue related to Egyptian national security.

Committing on remarks made by Deputy Gamal Abu Zikri (NDP) in which he said that Speaker of the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies Nabih Berri had spoken against Egypt, Shazly denied that Berri had made any statement of the sort but he (Berri) asked for severance of diplomatic relations between Arab countries and Israel.

Shazly said he had replied to Berri pointing out that Lebanon has no diplomatic ties with Israel.

He reminded Berri that Egypt has recalled its ambassador from Israel and the Egyptian government took a decision to halt all contacts with Israel, except diplomatic channels which serve the Palestinian cause.

Shazly said that the speech of President Mubarak was clear as usual. The President made it clear that the attitude adopted by Egypt was not taken from a point of weakness but from a position of strength.

The President said that Egypt's attitude is supportive of the struggle of the Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership.

He said that "we do not accept the American attitude which is biased to the Israeli enemy and the double standard policy was continuing. The American attitude is not compatible with the hopes of the Arab people.

He called for the speedy implementation of Security Council resolutions and to fix a timetable for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territories and to send an international force to protect the Palestinians.

He pointed out that the October 1973 war has restored dignity not only to Egypt but also to the entire Arab nation.

Ibrahim Gowhary (NDP) said the "butcher Sharon committed massacres "worse than those committed by Hitler and Nazis.

He called for continued support to the Palestinian Intifada and "Mujahed Yasser Arafat''.

Mahfouz Hilmy (independent) recalled a verse from the Holy Quran which says that Allah grants victory to the faithful, even if they are few.

The deputy called for rallying the ranks of the Arabs and Muslims to save Jerusalem from the Zionists.

Dr. Moustafa Fiqqi, Chairman of the People's Assembly Foreign Relations Committee, lauded the decision of President Mubarak to halt contacts with Israel, except diplomatic channels which serve the Palestinian cause.

He also lauded the address the President made to the nation on April 4, in which he said that "we feel sorry and angry" but pointed out that the decision-maker should have a clear vision and take a wise decision.

Fiqqi said that Egypt has always sided with Palestinian rights and the struggle of the Palestinians. Egypt has fought four wars for the Palestinian cause. He pointed out that "emotional actions" do not serve the Palestinian cause.

He called on the People's Assembly to adopt attitudes on the basis of clear vision.

Ragab Hilal Hemeida (Liberal Party) asked for the activation of economic cooperation agreements among the Arabs before the Arab collective Defence Agreement.

"Egypt has given (for the Palestinian cause) more than others who have nothing except shouting," he said.

Mourtada Mansour (independent) considered that the peace treaty with Israel "does not exist".

Israel does not respect the treaty and does not respect the Oslo agreement, he pointed out.

US President George W. Bush condemned 'Palestinian terrorism', "I condemn him and condemn Israeli terrorism," the deputy said.

He said that Egypt will decide when there will be war "without outbidding on Egypt and the leadership of Egypt."

Abul Naga Mahrazy (NDP) asked: where is the free world? Where are the countries which talk about freedom, democracy and the respect of human rights in the face of this "butcher Sharon" who gives no heed to the world or to international resolutions.

The deputy said that Egypt supports the struggle of the Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership represented by President Yasser Arafat.

He called on Arab Muslim countries to adopt a unified attitude to face "Sharon, the butcher".

Sayed Huzain (independent) asked that the "Zionist ambassador" in Cairo be expelled and the Israeli flag "lowered from Egypt's sky".

He called for freezing of all agreements signed with Israel, to reduce diplomatic relations with the United States and Britain and to boycott American, British and Israeli goods and also oil and to continue to support the Palestinian people and to activate the Arab Collective Defence Agreement, to effect conciliation among Arab peoples and Arab governments and "hands off the expression of peoples towards this issue".

Haydar Boghdady (Nasserite) said that Arafat was not a terrorist at any time. Arafat defends the rights of his people and his land.

Boghdady said the Egyptian people "will not forgive Bush for his support to Zionist terrorism".

Mansour Ammar (NDP) said that "butcher Sharon" seeks to realise his ambitions with American support. He called for adherence to the Islamic religion which calls for Jihad and to sacrifice lives and money.

He saluted the Palestinian people in their struggle and said: Allah will grant victory to the people at the end.

Deputy Seif Mohamed (independent) said that the flagrant aggression committed by the "butcher Sharon" shows that this "Zionist entity" does not want to deal with the Arabs.

He called for continued support to the Palestinian people until they achieve victory.

Mohamed asked for t"he formation of a unified Arab army to stand in the face of this Zionist enemy and that this army be supplied with arms."

"Victory shall be achieved by this army by the will of Allah," he said. He saw no success for efforts seeking peace with this (Israeli) entity. "This entity knows only force and brutality.

It should be met with strength by the Arabs, he added .