Presidential Elections 2012 : The official Islamist vote leans Towards Abu El Fotoh

And the presidential elections committee announced last week the final list of the Presidential candidates forcing the major Islamists parties and powers to declare their position after being hesitant for weeks to declare their endorsement till everything is clear.
In the Past few days there have been a lot developments when it comes to the Salafist Islamist vote.
Al Nour Party has announced its official endorsement to Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotoh and they are supporting him by all their force which is demonstrated in the big rally made for Abu El Fotoh in Alexandria today. Al Nour parliamentarian committee held an internal elections to choose the Islamist presidential candidate they should endorse and accordingly Abu El Fotoh got 74 votes while Mohamed Morsi of MB got 30 votes and Mohamed Salim El Awa got one vote.

Al Nour Party endorses Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotouh
A screen cap for Al Nour Party official FB Page 

Nader Bakar , the official spokesperson of Al Nour Party and its famous face in the media even spoke in the meeting of Abu El Fotoh with the university of Alexandria students where he described the former MB leading figure as “The Executive manager who can administrate the Egyptian company currently”. The Party has started to campaign for the one professionally since 72 hours.

To catch a Thug on Facebook : Mr. Baskoeta !!

Do you remember that video from last Sunday’s early morning clashes between protesters and thugs as well locals in Abassiya area near the #MOD sit in where attackers face were crystal clear and we had the opportunity to hear and see the moment the video shooter getting hit by another young man carrying a handmade gun !!!? Here is the video to refresh you mind.

Later “Kolena Khaled Said Group” FB page showed a screen capture for that young man in order to be arrested by the authorities.

The Screen Capture

Now amazingly before we hear anything from the authorities our youth were able to find all the details concerning his address and his name plus his Facebook Profile.

A Screen cap from the Facebook profile 

Mr. Karim Baskoeta aka Karim Biscuit seems to be a young man from Abassiya if I may say judging from photos he posted on the Facebook. He is from the working class that worked as a cashier in a clothes shop , who visited the Holy land and marked his visit , who took a photo in front of a tank hold an Egyptian flag posing besides an Egyptian soldier after the ousting of Mubarak in February 2011 and who loves motorcycles yet he loved to show off with guns and swords.

Some good advice For New Parties in town

Dear follow blogger Sandmonkey aka Mahmoud Salem wishes all the success to Dr.ElBaradei’s new Constitution Party and thus from two days ago he published some good advice from his experience in the Partisan Life in Egypt after the revolution as a leading member in the Liberal Free Egyptians Party on his twitter account through demonstrating the major problems news parties face in Arabic along with their solutions .

After taking Sandmonkey’s permission , I compiled the tweets and translated them in to English after the break.

Another Ministerial Reshuffle Coming in the way !!

Rumors , leaks and news in Egypt are speaking about very close ministerial reshuffle today after the decision of People’s assembly to suspend its sessions till next May 6,2012 “Sunday” to object the decision of Ganzoury’s cabinet not to resign as they want.
The decision was taken by the approval and support of the Islamist majority in the PA especially the Freedom and Justice Party despite the refusal of more than 80 MPs. Anyhow back to the rumors and leaks that sprung this afternoon.
The news is confirmed by the Egyptian Social Democratic party MP Bassel Kamel on his official twitter account.

There is something people have to understand and not to forget , this is an interim government since day one
I do not understand why the Muslim brotherhood is insisting to form the government now when in 60 days ISA we will have a new president with a new government !! Why do they want to have the government now when they got the parliament and running for presidency !!
I got a sinister theory in my mind : The Muslim brotherhood does not want Abu El Fotoh to become the president and they know that their Man “Morsi” will not win enough votes to run for a second round in the presidential elections thus they are dying to form the government so that they want the government to make it hard for Abu El Fotoh to get votes as Islamists after all People will not go for an Islamist president when they have an Islamist government and Islamist parliament in order to create balance of power.
It is worth to mention that it is unclear from the changing and contradicting MB leaders statement if they want a presidential state or parliamentary state or even a mix.
Ok I do not have enough sleep these days so you have to forgive my brain for thinking in this way.

Updated : 

Now close to SCAF and government MP Mostafa Bakry claims that PM Kamel El Ganzoury called him and told him that there will be no ministerial reshuffle !! It is a strange thing considered the statements of MPs  like Bassel Kamel !!

Technorati Tags: Egypt,Citizen journalism,Politics,National,Party of Parties,Parliament,Media,Ministerial reshuffle,Muslim brotherhood,Freedom and Justice party,Egyptian Social Democratic Party,Bassel Kamel

#MOD sit in: Abassiya battle II

Tens of protesters have been injured in clashes with armed assailants at Abassiya area while they were having a sit in at the ministry of defense "MOD" area. The clashes started late night and continued till the early hours of the morning. The armed assailants from hired thugs and angry Abassiya locals used handmade cement bombs, Molotov cocktails, rocks ,live ammunition and birdshots against the peaceful protesters , mostly from the Islamist Salafist powers who were objecting the exclusion of Hazem Abu Ismail from presidential elections.

Blood on the vest of that young man by Nawara Negm

According to the ministry of health not less than 91 have been injured with no death cases.News reports are conflicted when it comes to deaths , there are reports that a Salafist protester has been killed while field doctors say that 4 were killed. There is documented use of live ammunition along with birdshots. There two field hospitals in the sit in , one set up by Tahrir doctors group and the other is set up by the students of Ain Shams university named Alaa Abdel Hady field hospital."Abdel Hady is from the famous martyrs from medical school that were killed during the Mohamed Mahmoud clashes"Despite many activists and tweeps kept saying that all the assailants are not from the locals and they are either hired thugs or even the security forces in disguise according to many eye witness many of the assailants were and are from the locals who are so angry from the sit in like for instance Ahmed Alish. Still as usual there are hired thugs arrested by the protesters who confessed that they participated in every clash with protesters including the famous Camel battle in February 2011 for LE 200.

The four thugs captured by protesters by @AnaTa7riry

#CParty : wish for it all success but ..

Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei is back to action and this time he decided to participate in the political game officially by founding a political party which he hopes it would represent not only the Egyptian revolution but rather the Egyptian people in order to save the revolution
The new Party is called “The constitution party” because “The constitution is what brings all Egyptians together” , of course its suits this phase in the revolution when there is a battle on the constitution right between The Muslim brotherhood and Non Islamist powers.

Mohamed ElBaradei and Ragia Omran "AP"

The Constitution party  includes prominent political figures and activists like for instance Dr. Alaa Al Aswany , Dr. Hossam Eissa , TV host Gamila Ismail , Journalist Wael Kandeel “Official spokesperson and editor in chief of Al Shorouk Daily” , Human rights activist lawyer Ragia Omran , Revolution Youth coalition member Shady El Ghazli Harb and the famous Dr. Ahmed Harara.
For sure ElBaradei and company chose an excellent timing for announcing the party especially when the public in Egypt are extremely angry with the current parties in the scene especially the Muslim brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party. People are looking for some hope and some of them think that there is hope in the newly founded Constitution party.

#April20 protest in Video and Photos

I know this is late to share the videos and photos of #April 20 protest but I can’t share at least for my effort , God knows how much I spent from time trying to edit that video and post as soon as possible. Again it is never too late.

#April20 Protest in Tahrir square

Here is a video clip showing what I have seen at the #April20 Protest held at Tahrir square last April 20th , 2012.
I dedicate this clip to all those who claimed that the Islamists mostly from Hazem Abu Ismail supporters did not break the agreement of having united slogans and goals. I dedicate this clip to all those who said that some people including me were overreacting when it came to Islamist slogans and Islamist flags.

Islamist black flags 

Necrophilia Law is a Rumor Ya People !!

Now it has found its way to the Daily Mail , which is from the most read tabloids read online and you can imagine its impact on the Western mindset that already got that stupid stereotype about Muslims and Arabs already , I think I have to clarify things because it is getting out of control.  “It turned out it found its way to the huffingtonpost as well and Jezebl !!"
From couple of days ago we found out that Amr Abdel Samaii , the writer in Al Ahram newspaper claiming that the Islamists in the parliament are going to draft called the Necrophilia law in a 18 words sentence for one time in his op-ed about women and media in the time of the new Islamist majority. .
The necrophilia law allegedly allows the man to have one last sexual intercourse with his deceased wife in the first 6 hours after her death.  !! The Egyptian National TV former host who used to support Mubarak and his son did not mention the name of MP who proposed that law or any further details about it in his op-ed.

And the final list of presidential candidates is here

And the Presidential elections committee "PEC" has officially issued its final list of presidential candidates. They are not potential presidential candidates anymore as they are "Presidential candidates" now.

The final presidential candidates running the first real multi-candidate presidential elections after the revolution in Egypt are :

• Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotoh "Independent Islamist"
• Abdullah El Ashal "Partisan"
• Abu El Ezz El Hariri "Partisan Leftist"
• Ahmed Shafik "Independent"
• Amr Moussa "Independent"
• Hamdeen Sabahi "Partisan Nassirte"
• Hisham El Bastawisi "Partisan Leftist" 
• Hossam Khairallah "Partisan"
• Khaled Ali "Independent Leftist"
• Mahmoud Hossam "Who is he ?"
• Mohamed Morsi "Partisan Islamist"
• Mohamed Salim El Awa "Independent Islamist"
• Mohamed Abd El Fatah "Who is that guy !?" 

Happy Sinai Liberation Day 2012

Today we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the withdrawal of Israeli occupation from Sinai , just days after the decision of EGAS to cut off the gas supply to EMG and thus to Israel. Some say that this was the unique celebration for the day.
It is unique anniversary despite it was some how quiet today and I am not speaking about quiet streets of Cairo but rather in Sinai still the Youth of North Sinai movement had a stand across in front of the North Sinai Governorate where tens of locals carried banners against the marginalization of Sinai and the neglect of the government to the peninsula.

Youth of North Sinai movement

Youth of North Sinai movement

US , them and breaking the stereotype !!

Dear Mona El Tahawy has caused an uproar online yesterday with her long essay in Foreign policy’s special Sex issue with the title “Why they hate us !?”

In 24 hours there have been strong reactions mainly from Arabs and Muslims who refused this orientalist view to women and men in the Arab and Muslim world.

• From Dima El Khatib : Love , not hatred , Dear Mona !
• From Karim Malek : Case in Point : Mona El Tahawy’s FP article
• From Mona Karim : “Why Do they hate us !?” A blogger’s response
• From Samia Errazzouk : “Dear Mona El Tahawy , you do not represent us”
• From Phil Brennan : On Muslim-Arab issues and the Danger of Aiding the Neo-Liberal Colonialist Agenda

Now to my short comments as I think the people above have covered all what the points I want to say and have said in details , they even did it better than me.

I am fed up as Egyptian Arab Muslim African woman of that stereotype Westerners and orientalists put me in that I am being oppressed and needed to be saved as soon as possible by the Western values , you know the White man complex !! I am fed up of that stereotype at the time the Egyptian and Arab women like Samira Ibrahim , Zeinab El Khawja , Tawakel Karman, Bothiana Kamel , Noha El Zeiny made history for real in 2011 and 2012 !!?

The women who wear Niqab in Bahrain and Yemen made the dream of freedom possible , these are the same women insulted in the disgusting photos of FP.

If we are going to speak from feminist view in the same way El Tahway did in her essay  , well not only the Men of Muslim world and Middle East hate the women ; the men of the world hate the women considering the abuse women witness not only in MENA but in Europe , Asia and the two Americas !! Shall I speak about how the Neocons look to the women ? Shall I speak about underage prostitution trade in Europe ? I do not need it to.

I am seriously fed up with that look to Muslim and Arab ladies !!

This is my comment , I can’t go in a full debate about views now based on radical feminism mingled with Islamophobia now as I got other things to follow including real ladies fighting for their rights and their families’ rights.

#Free Gizawy : After the Protest and Saudi Statement !!

Today Giza street witnessed a medium size protest that included hundreds who came to object the detention of Ahmed El Gizawy in Saudi Arabia as well the detention of other Egyptians in the Kingdom.

The Protest today "Getty" 

Today’s protest included members of April 6th Youth movement , anarchists and Revolutionary socialists as well some Salafists. Well of course today our protesters did not only protest peacefully at the Saudi embassy but they have left their remark with insulting graffiti all over the walls of the embassy targeting the Saudi king and Royal Family. I do not like how they draw the Star of David on the walls of the embassy.

The graffiti on the Saudi embassy's wall "Getty" 

By the way this is the 46th protest in front of the Saudi embassy related to the case of Egyptian detainees who have not stood till this moment in front of a court.
At the same time the protesters chanted against KSA and its King , a number of MPs and politicians including MP Mostafa Al Naggar , MP Amr El Shobky and former presidential candidate Ayman Nour met with the Saudi Ambassador Ahmed El Katan.

#Free Gizawy : A matter of human rights

Ahmed Gizawy

Ahmed Gizawy , a human rights activist and a lawyer who was defending the rights of Egyptians imprisoned in Saudi Arabia and last year he criticized or rather attacked the king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in a TV show. From couple of days ago while arriving to Saudi Arabia with his wife heading to the holy land to do “Omara” , Gizawy was arrested and found himself being sentenced for a year in jail and 20 lashes in absentia for royal insult.
A man in his way to visit the House of God for insulting a human !!! Something that did not happen before even in time of the infidels and Prophet Mohamed “PBUH”.
Gizawy's case comes at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the case of Egyptians imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for non-criminal reasons. The official spokesperson of MOFA stated the ministry has inquired about the case of Gizawy , of course inquiry is not needed when he is going to be lashed next Friday !!
The Saudi regime is not popular among the revolutionary class in Egypt as it is regarded to be from the forces against the revolution so you can imagine how this case has added to that feeling already.
MP Mostafa Al Naggar of El Adl party was the first MP to announce that will present a request to the people’s assembly to discuss the case of Gizawy.

تقدمت ببيان عاجل حول قضية اختطاف المحامى أحمد الجيزاوى بالسعودية وانتظر مناقشته فى أول الجلسة كرامة اى مصرى تنتهك هى إهانة لكرامة الوطن

— mostafa alnagar (@alnagar80) April 23, 2012

Al Naggar was followed by the liberal Free Egyptian party bloc.

قدمنا طلب إحاطه و بيان عاجل لوزير الخارجيه بشأن موضوع احمد الجيزاوي في مجلس الشعب اليوم ايضا @MasreyeenAhrrar

— باسل عادل (@Bassel_adel) April 23, 2012

Potential presidential candidate and MP Abu El Ezz El Hariri also presented a request to the people assembly. Speaking about potential presidential candidates , Hamdeen Sabahi raised the matter demanding the MOFA to act right away and protest Gizawy as the dignity of the Egyptian is above all.

أطالب وزارة الخارجية المصرية بالتدخل فورا لحماية المواطن المصري أحمد الجيزاوي. انتهي زمن إهانة أي مصري بالخارج. كرامة المصري فوق كل اعتبار.

— حمدين صباحي (@HamdeenSabahy) April 23, 2012

Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotoh commented and said that it is the case of a whole nation and the dignity of the Egyptians is the responsibility of the  parliament , MOFA and SCAF.

قضية أحمد الجيزاوي ليس قضية فرد بل قضية كرامة وطن ومواطنين. دور البرلمان والخارجيه والمجلس العسكري الحفاظ على كرامة المصريين وحمايتهم

— عبدالمنعم أبو الفتوح (@DrAbolfotoh) April 23, 2012

Tomorrow there will be a protest in front of the Saudi Embassy at 12 PM CLT in Giza, the protest will not include protesters and activists from different powers only but it will include political powers as well like Al Wasat Party , the only Islamist party officially to declare its participation according to my knowledge.
Not so surprisingly at least for me the Salafist Parties specifically Al Nour Party did not react as Al Wasat party or Free Egyptian Party letting the matter for the Egyptian authorities !!
It is worth to mention that the Salafist parties also ignored the case of other Egyptians imprisoned in Saudi Arabia including conservative and Salafist Egyptians.
Ironically Gizawy’s arrest can shed some light about the Egyptian prisoners in KSA , Gizawy used to work on this file already !!
Now I am so disturbed from the violent and racist comments Egyptian tweeps vented online today against the Saudi people not only against the Saudi regime and the Saudi king despite the Saudis on twitter were supporting the cause of Gizawy and totally against his arrest. I feel that we are having this battle of Algiers vibe again with our anger. Already those tweeps do not even think about the safety of this young man who will be lashed 20 times nor the safety of the Egyptian community that already got its problems in Kingdom.
Some stupid tweeps even warned Saudis from coming to Egypt and already left much stupider warning to the Saudi Ambassador !! Of course radicalism is the trend now in Egypt.
One thing is good in this case , is how the parliamentarians began to move quickly. Updated : The Saudi Ambassador called a TV show on Al Hayat and said that the Saudi King may pardon Gizawy.
The official FB page of cabinet has issued a statement announcing that the MOFA follows the case of Gizawy yet it will not join in any hatred campaign against the kingdom. Ayman Nour has announced that he will meet the Saudi Ambassador tomorrow in order to discuss the case of Gizawy and see if he can travel and represent Gizawy as his attorney in front of Saudi courts.

سأطلب اليوم باسم حزب غد الثورة لقاء السفير السعودي لبحث أزمة أحمد الجيزاوي والسفر للدفاع عنه كمحامي إذا لم تحل الأزمه

— Ayman Nour (@AymanNour) April 24, 2012

Now it is not only the case of Gizawy that we should follow and work on , I think we should work on the case of other Egyptians allegedly arrested and detained for years in the Kingdom for no reason like for instance the case of Abdullah Mamdouh. Mamdouh was detained from four years ago for no reason according to his wife Israa Kamal who is campaigning online and offline for him.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Politics,Gizawy,#FreeGizawy,Ahmed Gizawy,KSA,News,Saudi Arabia,Egypt,Activism,Human rights,Media,MENA

The Gas deal after the big decision : will there be a new deal ?

I am fed up with all the officials of Egypt and Israel speaking diplomatically on how the sudden decision to cut the gas supply to EMG and thus to Israel was not a political decision but rather economical decision.
Already it were an economical decision and EMG did not pay since 2010 , why did not EGAS end the deal all that time !!? Simply because the decision was connected to politics and no one can deny. Of course the question now in the minds of many is “Why now”.
It is a good question but let’s not spoil the point of following the law and not forget that Egypt is in bad gas crisis not to mention this has been a popular demand for years now
On the other we do not know if that was temporarily suspension or not as the minister of international cooperation , the Iron lady of Egyptian politics Faiza Abu Naga stated officially today that Egypt was ready to negotiate again about gas deal with Israel with new prices. Abu Naga’s statements are interesting indeed.
Strangely the Israeli officials have stressed that this is not a political decision and rather economic decision that will not affect the Egyptian Israeli relations. Yet in the Israeli press we hear big words from this and that figure in Israel like Yuval Steinitz, the minister of finance in Israel who described the move as “a dangerous precedent that threatens Egyptian Israeli bilateral ties.” as well Shaul Mofaz , the Kadima opposition party leader who considered the decision as a violation to the Camp David Accords despite it has nothing to do with the accords !!
Anyhow Bibi stated on his official twitter account as well his spokesperson's twitter account that  there is no problem because Israel has got its own gas sources that will make Israel a major exporter of gas !!!

we have reserves of gas to make us totally energy independent, not only from Egypt.We will become 1 of thelargest exporters of natural gas

— The PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 23, 2012

Already if you got that big reserve of gas , why do you import from Egypt !!? Needless to say that gas treasure Bibi is speaking is in a disputed area.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Politics,Economy,Regional,Israel,Gas,Egypt,follow up,MENA

Breaking : Egypt cancels gas deal "Updated"

Al Arabiya News network has reported from short awhile ago that Egypt has cancelled the gas deal with Israel today from one side.
Haartez has published that the National gas company in Egypt “EGAS” has notified EMG that it will cancel the gas deal with Israel on Sunday. Of course this word “will” means that it is not confirmed 100%. There is no official reaction from Cairo or Tel Aviv up till now.
The Israeli media consider this a breach to the Egyptian Israeli Peace agreement. According to some experts in the Egyptian Israeli peace agreement there is nothing about gas deal to Israel. There is nothing regarding Jordan though as it is a deal originally between two companies “EMG” and “Ampal”
The decision was taken after the public hero aka Masked man has blown up the gas pipeline of gas to Israel and Jordan nearly 14 times. There have been many theories about who really stood behind these explosions. On public level there is a complete refusal for exporting gas to Israel in Egypt whether before or after the revolution. The Egyptian parliament after the revolution has demanded the government to stop exporting gas to Israel.
Already Hosni Mubarak and Husseim Salem as well former minister of oil Sameh Fahmy are accused of exporting gas to Israel among the charges they are already facing.
According to some sources Egypt supplies nearly 45% of Israel’s gas supply. The deal was Egypt to export gas to Israel for a very low price compared than the average world price for 20 years
It is worth to mention that there has been news through the past year with all the news of blasting the pipeline in North Sinai to Jordan and Israel about how Qatar was going to export gas to Israel instead of Egypt.
The decision is taken after the huge fire of the Suez’s Nasr oil co. which has affected Egypt’s domestic oil and gas supply. It is also taken after two days from Israel’s warning to its tourists to leave Sinai ASAP because there will be a terrorist act soon.
Despite many people in Egypt wanted to this happen , some on twitter say that it is a wicked move so SCAF would rule the country , well unfortunately SCAF is already ruling the country and it is popular among the public especially with stumbles of the MB.

Update : 

Ok news are contradicting in Cairo. There are military sources as well the minister of oil in Egypt have denied the news that they cancelled the agreement to export gas to Israel while there are confirmed sources say that Cairo has canceled the deal !!
Anyhow there is news that Egypt has cancelled the deal with EMEG because it has not paid its dues to EGAS since 2010 !!! The gas has been cut since Thursday according to news report.
Ampal has issued a statement from short awhile considering the decision unlawful 

Stop Quoting #Nasser about #MB please !!!

I am so surprised on how some people claiming to be anti-military rule pro-democracy liberals share parts of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s speeches in 1960s about the Muslim brotherhood on social networks whether blogs or twitter of Facebook to show their disgust from the MB and how the MB have been manipulative who care only for their own interest.
Here are the clips I am speaking about

Nasser’s opinion about MB

In that clip above Nasser spoke about how foreign powers sponsored the MB with weapons and money then he spoke about how socialism does not contradict with Islam to the end of that talk to attack the MB and their way of thinking.

#April20 in Tahrir : Live

At Tahrir square this morning 

It was only 10:30 AM and the Tahrir was nearly packed thanks to the huge mobilization again of Muslim brotherhood to their members from all over the country to Tahrir square. The Salafist presence is bigger than last time as Salafists are angry for excluding Hazem Abu Ismail from presidential race. Both Salafists and MB are securing the square. You can see the buses that transferred the MB Members to Tahrir square outside it.
There are hundreds of thousands already in the square according to my estimation before the Friday prayer. The MB members came with their full families again. Despite the hopes that there will be one flag today , there are lots of Islamist flags whether black and white. The MB and freedom and justice party banners are not hided
There are anti-SCAF chants and anti-felol chants as well. there are banners against the candidacy of Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafik as well SCAF
The ministry of health sent many ambulances Just in case. street vendors are having their best time selling cold beverages and hot meals starting with beans and ended with liver !! The Abu Ismail stuff from caps, t-shirts
There are 8 stages I spotted so far :

The Taxation Youth stage 

1. The MB which is the biggest at KFC
2. The April 6 youth stage "I think Democratic front"
3. Two for Salafists including one for Hazem Abu Ismail campaign "both actually are mad about him"
4. Two unknown stages which I will check from
5. The justice and freedom youth stage "unrelated to MB"
6. The youth of taxation authority. "Exposes the corruption in the authority where the wife of Samy Anan , the chief of Staff and member of SCAF works" 

It is extremely hot. It is midday and already got four flyers , one from taxation authority youth about the corruption within the authority , one from the officers with a beard guys ,one from the central audit organization and the last one is from Hazem Abu Ismail boys regarding his case.
Wait for more updates.

@8:46 PM 

Ok I am sorry that I did not update the post all that time , I think I kept my twitter account updated as much as possible.

#April20 in #Tahrir : Too many Stages , Too many Goals , too Many hopes and Fears

And Tahrir square will witness a big protest which hopefully will unit all the political powers in Egypt whether Islamist or non Islamist after months of fighting each other politically whether directly or indirectly. This is considered the first Friday since September 2011 to include both Islamist and Non Islamist forces. Some people are really putting high hopes that this protest will close the gap between the different political parties and powers in the country.

Nearly 40 parties and powers declared their participation already in the big Tahrir Protest with so many names as usual. The Muslim brotherhood called it “The determination Friday” while Revolution Youth Coalition and Maserna called it “ No for constitution under the military rule”.

There will marches from all over Cairo and Giza that will head to Tahrir square. There will be at least 4 marches from Cairo and Giza that will meet at 3:30 PM and 4 PM CLT at Kasr Al Nil bridge.

Potential presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi will head a march from Dokki to Tahrir square while Potential presidential candidate Khaled Ali will pray at Mostafa Mahmoud mosque and head the march from there to Tahrir square. Speaking about presidential campaigns , Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotoh Campaign will participate in the protest while he will tour the Northern villages of Giza. Needless to say the MB will campaign for Mohamed Morsi in the square like El Shater last week.

Square’s Art : Mohamed Mahmoud street Graffiti

Here is the photo gallery I promised from several weeks ago when our young artists took their brushes and went to the famous Mohamed Mahmoud street and turned in to a piece of art thanks to their beautiful murals and graffiti.

The graffiti commemorated the famous martyrs of the revolution and what followed it from clashes like in Mohamed Mohamed street and cabinet HQ and ending by the horrible Port Said stadium massacre.

Unfortunately someone removed the graffiti of late Sheikh Emad Effat and police general Mohamed Batran may Allah bless their soul.

The murals included beautiful images from the ancient Egyptian history as well expressive graffiti attacking Mubarak regime and SCAF. 

I hope you enjoy it.

Technorati Tags: Egypt,Citizen journalism,Arts,Photos,Post Revolution,Media,Mohamed Mahmoud Street,Graffiti,Murals,MENA,Tahrir

The Way To Jerusalem is always Long

Strangely I was planning a post about the Egyptian Orthodox Christians who broke the orders of late Pope Shenouda III and decided to visit East Jerusalem aka Al Quds in the time of pilgrimage , in last Easter but instead yesterday I was writing a post about the surprise visit of Egypt’s current grand Mufti Ali Gomaa to the Holy City.

Gomaa and prince Ghazi praying at the Dome of the Rock
"Getty" 

Sheikh Ali Gomaa was invited to visit the Holy places in East Jerusalem by the Royal Jordanian family which till this day is supervising the Islamic Holy sites in Jerusalem. “An information I have not known before that day”. He was accompanied by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad , King Abdullah’s cousin and his chief religious advisor. They were inaugurating the renovation of the Mughrabi Bridge, which leads into the courtyard of al-Aqsa mosque as well The Ghazli seat. “I do not know it is except it is some sort of academic seat ” 
He went He did not have an Israeli visa or permit directly but of course the Jordanian delegation had an Israeli permit. He considered it unofficial visit insisting that he still refuses all sorts of neutralization of relations with the Israel.
The visit was a surprising one to everybody in Egypt including Gomaa adviser who was astonished and had to defend him on TV channels throughout the day. We only knew it from his official twitter account and his photos there.

إشراف الحساب| وصل صباح اليوم أ.د.علي جمعة في زيارته الغير رسمية إلى القدس الشريف والصلاة في المسجد الأقصى نصرة وتضامنا مع قضية القدس الشريف

— الدكتور علي جمعة (@DrAliGomaa) April 18, 2012

Sheikh Ali Gomaa arrived today to Al Quds in an unofficial visit to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

I think Gomaa is the second Egyptian Mufti to visit Jerusalem if I am not mistaken since the historical visit of late President Sadat in late 1970s.

#Sandstorm in #Cairo

We are having the worst sandstorm in Cairo today. It is the Khamsin in its official time after Easter.The storm started at 8:30 AM this morning. Suddenly we got this yellow color in the air.
Here is Tahrir square from short awhile ago .

Khamisn in Tahrir square "Kolena Khaled Said"

Here are few shots I took today in my way to work.

Presidential Wackiest Race : Who Will stay in this round ? "Updated"

Abu Ismail supporters at the HPEC from the early morning
"Getty" 

The high presidential elections committee “HEPC” is going to announce tonight its final decisions regarding the excluded potential presidential candidates from the elections race. Despite nothing officially has been announced , leaks and sources in “Ahram Gate” , “Youm 7” and “El Badil” say that Khairat El Shater’s petition was accepted and he will continue in the race.
Al Ahram Gate added that 8 of the disqualified members’ petitions and appeals were not accepted and that the fate of Khairat El Shater and Mamdouh Qotub will determine this afternoon.
The HPEC has disqualified Hazem Abu Ismail , Omar Suleiman , Khairat El Shater , Ayman Nour , Mamdouh Qotub and other less famous 5 names from running in the upcoming elections for technical reasons earlier Saturday.
I believe that El Shater and the brotherhood knew about the decision of HPEC despite the statements of his lawyer Abdel Moneim Abdel Maksoud. The MB already is organizing this big public meeting for El Shater in Cairo , in popular area of Sharbia for the first time and they have not cancelled it. I do not know if they reached to a deal with SCAF or what but there is something fishy.
On other hand people are concerned from the anger of the Abu Ismail’s supporters who are already besieging the HPEC in Heliopolis and their reaction. Abu Ismail issued a statement to his followers today to be calm and not to lose their temper after knowing the final verdict of his Saga with HPEC.
Some attributed the decision of the HPEC to delay its final announcement to Abu Ismail’s followers. Some think that the HPEC is waiting till they will get bored and leave their on going sit in around the HPEC headquarter if they delay the announcement !! Well they will not leave easily and we are all praying that they will not be dragged in to another round of violent clashes because of Hazem.

Update @ 8 : 12 PM

The HPEC has rejected all the petitions and appeals of all the excluded presidential candidates “10”.
This means that Omar Suleiman , Khairat El Shater  , Hazem Salah Abu Ismail and Ayman Nour are not going to run. They can’t appeal in front of the courts.

Now the only reaction we got is the severe anger of Abu Ismail and his supporters , I am scared that it will end with bloody violent clashes.
The HPEC called a group of Salafist Sheikhs in order to see the documents that prove the American citizenship of Abu Ismail’s mom. Abu Ismail went to the HPEC HQ but the committee refused to let him in. Before announcing the results , Abu Ismail addressed thousands of his followers accusing the committee of lying and opening fire on everybody. It is a hysterical there.
Abu Ismail added more action to the whole scene when he announced that he was going to start a sit in till the HPEC would announce the result, I do not know what he is doing now after the announcement of the petitions !!
“Hazemoon” group , which is from the biggest Hazem Abu Ismail’s support group said that they will keep their protesting
Hazem supporters online are extremely angry.
The members of HPEC have managed to leave the HQ from the backdoors !!
After knowing the decision Hazem considered the decision as an attempt to divide the society !!
Nader Bakkar , the official spokesperson feels sorry for the supporters of Abu Ismail who insulting him and the party saying that if the party knew that he was right , it would have stood with him in a very interesting quote. 

للأسف الشديد لو نعلم ان الشيخ مظلوم لما ترددنا عن نصرته ؛ سأصبر على سبابكم ؛ ولتعلمن نبآه بعد حين ... والسلام

— نادر بكار (@naderbakkar) April 17, 2012

Now Khairat El Shater has reacted to his exclusion news in the public conference in Sharbia saying that his exclusion from the elections is an proof that the Mubarak still rules adding that they will continue in their peaceful struggle against that regime.

إقصائي عن الإنتخابات بالرغم من صحة موقفي القانوني دليل أن نظام مبارك ما زال يحكم ... سنواصل النضال السلمي حتى تكتمل الثورة

— محمد خيرت الشاطر (@khairatAlshater) April 17, 2012

El Shater also announced that the MB will join the next Friday Protest in Tahrir square announcing that they will have a sit in for a day or two.
On the other hand the Freedom and Justice party announced that Dr. Mohamed Morsi , the FJP leader will continue in the presidential race as the official presidential candidate of the FJP , the political arm of MB in its official twitter account.

Dr. Mohamed Morsi, #FJP Chairman and nominee, will continue the presidential race #EgyPresElec

— Ikhwanweb (@Ikhwanweb) April 17, 2012

The Muslim brotherhood and Freedom and Justice party have issued a joint statement from couple of hours announcing that Mohamed Morsi will continue the race as well condemning the decision of the HPEC. 

The Muslim brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice are astonished on how the HPEC has rejected the petition of Khairat El Shater and his legal team despite all the papers and documents presented to the committee

The Statement said.
I beg to differ because El Shater's legal question is really questionable.
The Man behind Omar Sulieman aka Hussein El Sherif , the manager of Sulieman's campaign has refused to comment to the media on the exclusion till the campaign receives an official notification from the HPEC. This is big blow to Sulieman without doubt.
"Ana Asef Ya Rayes" the infamous Pro-Mubarak page that endorsed Sulieman for presidency announced that it respects the decisions of the HPEC.
Other presidential candidates began to comment as well , for instance the veteran leftist presidential candidate and MP Ezz El Din Hariri criticized how some former presidential candidates and their supporters are protesting the decision of HPEC.
On the other hand Khaled Ali , the other leftist potential presidential candidate and lawyer activist announced in an interview on Al Jazeera Mubshar Misr that he had no doubt that Hazem Abu Ismail’s mother was an Egyptian and that why he defended him and will continue to defend him. Khaled Ali already was defended Hazem Abu Ismail last week in front of the administrative against the ministry of interior.

Technorati Tags: Elections,Citizen journalism,Politics,News,Omar Sulieman,Parties,Egypt,Post Revolution,Freedom and Justice party,Hazem Abu Ismail,Salafists,Democracy

A typical Day in Egypt Post revolution

on Tuesday 17/4/2012 this is what Egyptians should follow in the news :

• The Port Said Stadium massacre trial “First session”
• The petitions of the excluded presidential candidates.
• The debate about the constituent assembly.
• The debate about having the constituent first or elections first “oh yes we are back to this point once again !!
• The fire has not been put off in Suez’s oil complex.
• Fuel shortage in Sinai
• On going protests and strikes in several factories.
• Military judiciary law amendments in the parliament

The Port Said stadium is adjourned to next 5th of May 2012. It is another spin off from our version of law and order !!

I read from couple of days this tweet from a foreign reporter in Egypt that after so many years of having no real political life , Egypt is trying to restore all that time in one month !!

The Man behind Omar Suleiman strikes back !!

Not only the man behind Omar Suleiman is back under the spot but he is aggressive with journalists when they asked about the position of Omar Soliman in the presidential elections !! 

Masr 25 : The return of the man behind Omar Suleiman

Major Hussein El Sherif aka the Man behind Omar Suleiman says that there was no comment about the candidacy of Omar Suleiman and his appeal after he was rejected by the High presidential elections committee last Saturday. This is the first time he speaks to TV cameras and you can imagine the negative reactions about his attitude , commentators online wonder if that was the attitude of El Sherif , how the attitude of Suleiman will be.

It is Spring Time

First of all Happy Sham El Nassim.

I am sorry that I have not posted anything since early morning , I am trying to take a rest and enjoy a fine Sham El Nassim , I was planning to celebrate it by posting a photo gallery for Graffiti in the famous Mohamed Mahomoud street. Anyhow it is never too late. I am uploading them currently.

Anyhow as I am celebrating Sham El Nassim , I would like to introduce you to the official Spring song in Egypt by Farid Al Atresh : The Spring Song

Farid Al Atrash : The spring

The Spring song was composed initially by Farid Al Atresh so the legendary Um Kalthoum aka Thouma would sing yet Thouma rejected the song because actually Thouma feared the music of Farid would cover her voice in other words she did not want his music to have an Upper hand over her voice. The music of Farid can be recognized from its beauty and thus Thouma feared that people would admire the music more than her voice.

Another stage from the Wackiest Race in town ever !!

Things in Cairo are developing so fast in a way that you do not have time to process and analyze everything , we are speaking about a political scene that is changing not every 12 hours but every 24 hours.
Late last night the High Presidential elections committee announced from several hours ago in Cairo that it has excluded 10 potential presidential candidates from the elections after revising their documents .
The 10 potential presidential candidates included names that would turn the table upside down. The big important names in the list of exclusion are as follows :

1. Hazem Salah Abu Ismail as his mother turned to be an American citizen.
2. Omar Suleiman as his campaign did not gather enough PAs from one the governorates as demanded by the HPEC.
3. Khairat El Shater as he did not receive a rehabilitation order from judiciary that allows him to have his full political rights back after Al Azhar militias.

#Tahrir: Friday April 13th Protest in Video

And here is the video report I made about last April 13th Protest in Tahrir square that was organized by Muslim brotherhood against the candidacy of former regime’s icons to presidential elections.

Please do not forget to have a look on the photo gallery for the photos I took on that day from the square.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Egypt,Politics,Video,Media,Democracy,Elections,Elections 2012,Tahrir square,Muslim brotherhood,Friday 13th,Preisdential elections,MENA

Pray For #Suez "Live Updated"

I think we should all pray for the city of Suez right about it is facing a huge catastrophe threatening the lives of thousands of citizens there.

A photo from the fire

A fire started at Nasr Petroleum Company “NPC” at one of the oil tanks late afternoon has resulted in a huge fire extended to other parts of the big complex in the city. According to the ministry of health one worker was killed and 14 were injured. April Youth 6 Movement in Suez says that 2 were killed including one from suffocation. It has been on fire 5 hours now.

The explosion when it started "Ehab Samy"

Here are videos after the explosions in the oil tanks.

Suez : The fire at NPC

Suez : NPC fires

It is very critical situation. According to tweets from Suez at least 28 fire engines from 3 governorates are trying to do its best and from what I knew and understood the army sent 3 planes to put off the fire but it is too huge. Already there are 6 oil complexes besides this complex that are owned by major oil companies in the Middle East.

Suez : Attempt to put off the fire

The company has evacuated its workers from the location. The fire could be seen from miles. The Mosques in Suez are praying currently and people are worried and they have to. The elderly in town say that this fire reminds when Israel shelled the oil tanks in the city. Some people in Ras Sadr say that they can see the fire from there.

The Return of Youssef Boutros Ghali !!

And here is Youssef Boutros Ghali running like a chicken when an Egyptian young man in London.

London : Youssef Ghali

The young man who spotted Ghali is an Egyptian doctor called Mohamed Abdel Ghanny , who lives and works there. Abdel Ghanny told Ghali that he is a fugitive thief.

Youssef Ghali is enjoying the fact that London does not extradite thieves like him. There is already an Interpol red warrant for this man who is enjoying shopping in London.

He was found guilty in absentia and sentenced to imprisonment for 30 years and fined 60 million Egyptian pounds for using the state’s assets in the NDP’s campaign as well using impounded cars for his personal use.

This is not the first time Egyptians remind this man with his ugly reality. Egyptians forced him to leave a lecture he was invited to as a speaker at London School of economics from couple of months ago.

This man is not less dangerous than the radical Islamists in London , he harmed millions of Egyptians deliberately with economic policies and corruption.

Technorati Tags: Youssef Boutros Ghali,Politics,Economy,London,Citizen journalism,Media,Video,UK,Interpol,Wanted,Justice,Mideast

Protecting the revolution on Friday 13th !!

And the MB has mobilized its full force once again to Tahrir square , to “Protecting the revolution Friday” in order to show off its size in front of the country.

Buses from all over the country poured in to Tahrir square since last night. MB's members from youth , men and women or in better description full families headed to the square showing their affiliation to the MB with pride wearing its caps and holding its flag.

The numbers were huge , we are speaking about hundreds of thousands here without doubt. The buses were so many that they are parked at the NDP torched HQ to the museum , from Kasr Al Nil bridge to Novotel hotel on the other side and this gives you a hint if you know the place well. There was for instance that group of MB girls keeping from Fayoum chanting against Suleiman.

The Black Box Will speak Up

This week was a busy one for Omar Suleiman as after decades of being the man who works in silence , in the background , the man is opening his heart and mind to the Egyptian media.
So far this week Suleiman spoke with four newspapers : Al Akhbar and Al Osboo in joint interview with Mostafa Bakry , Al Fagr newspaper with Adel Hammouda and Al Ahram newspaper.

Al Ahram's interview with terrible picture for Suleiman
"Tweep @Aelhawary"

Wisely enough he spoke to Al Ahram in an interview that is published in the weekly issue of Egypt’s most distributed newspaper on Friday. The weekly issue of Al Ahram sells more than any other issue in the week because people buy for the classifieds.
He also spoke on the phone with Amr Adeeb and Hala Serhan this week but not on air for a reason I could not get it.