Parliament members from the ruling National Democratic Party and the opposition Muslim Brotherhood clashed on Sunday over the construction of an underground steel wall along the Sinai-Gaza border.
Arguments started when the Brotherhood bloc interrupted Parliamentary Legal Affairs Minister Moufid Shehab during his address, in which he said the government is building the barrier in order to protect Egypt from arms smuggling and terrorist operations, not against the people of Gaza.
Brotherhood representatives wanted to walk out of the session, but their leader Hassan el-Katatni ordered them to stay.
Brotherhood spokesperson Hamdi Hassan was dismissed from the session for objecting to House Speaker Fathi Sorour ending the discussion.
The parliament’s General Committee issued a statement earlier in the day, asserting the government’s right to take any measures it deems appropriate to protect state sovereignty.
"[People’s Assembly Speaker Fathy] Sorour didn’t give us the chance to submit our interpellations on the issue," Hassan said. "Parliament has become the house of the government, not the people."
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
