A number of members of the Shura Council are criticizing the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s stance on recent events in Jerusalem, describing it as "weak."
During a meeting of the Shura Council’s Arab Affairs Committee, MPs called on the foreign ministry to adopt a firmer stance toward Israel.
MP Abdel Salam Moussa described the lack of diplomatic relations with Iran as a terrible mistake, adding that Egypt’s relationship with Tehran could be a source of strong pressure on Israel, especially if a Cairo-Tehran-Ankara axis is formed.
Nagui el-Shehabi, president of the Geel Party, criticized the foreign ministry’s handling of the recent developments in Jerusalem. He also wondered "in whose interest is it for Egyptian relations with Syria and Iran to be so weak?"
El-Shehabi called for resistance against the Israeli occupation, saying negotiations will not bear fruit. He also claimed that US President Obama is even more keen on a strong relationship with Israel than his predecessor.
The ongoing events are humiliating to everyone who lives in this era, said el-Shehabi. "Why are we scared of the US and Israel? […] Hezbollah made them lick [Hezbollah’s] shoes."
El-Shehabi went on to say he doesn’t expect the upcoming Arab summit, scheduled for the end of this month in Libya, to do anything more than "condemn" the recent incidents in Jerusalem, and called for the Egyptian ambassador to Israel to be recalled.
MP Nabila el-Khodary said war against Israel should be a last resort, given the size of Israel’s arsenal and the support it receives from the international community.
Tareq el-Touni, head of the Israel Department at the foreign ministry, described the Arab and Palestinian situation and available options as "difficult." He talked about the different interests and priorities governing the decision-making process, and pointed out that the Palestinian question isn’t Egypt’s only priority.
El-Touni described Iran as an important country in the region. According to el-Touni, dialogue with Iran is ongoing and diplomatic relations with the country have not been severed. There is only disagreement over priorities in the region, he said.
Commenting on the calls to recall Egypt’s ambassador from Israel, el-Touni said the presence of an ambassador in Israel is useful during crises.
Abdel Monem el-Saeed, head of the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, called for the formation of a committee of Arab parliament members to investigate recent events in Jerusalem, saying that peaceful solutions are better than war.
But in a phone call with Al-Masry Al-Youm, one MP warned that the call for such investigations could be a step toward normalization with Israel, since the MPs’ passports will be stamped by Israeli authorities when they travel to compare the current situation with that before the recent clashes.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
