Vital Perspective

Two Tons of Explosives, Automatic Weapons and RPGs Seized in Northern Sinai

Security sources say that more than two tons of explosives have been uncovered in the Gebel Maghara area of Egypt's northern Sinai peninsula and are reportedly the same type used in previous Sinai bombings. Large amounts of weapons were also found, including automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades, in the Gebel Libni area 62 miles southwest of Gaza.

The Sinai with its popular beach destinations has been hit by a series of deadly attacks in recent years. Twenty people were killed and 90 wounded in a triple attack on the resort town of Dahab last April, and 34 people were killed in attacks on Taba in October 2004. Nearly 70 people were killed by attacks on the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh in July 2005.

Blogger Critical of Egyptian Govt Detained for Questioning on Criminal Activity

Rami Siyam, a blogger whose postings have been critical of the Egyptian government, was arrested less than a week after Amnesty International criticized Egypt for detaining another blogger. Siyam was at least the fifth blogger Egypt has detained this year. A police officer said he was detained for questioning and transferred to the Delta Nile city of Belbeis for further interrogation.

"Police want to know if he is involved in criminal activities," the officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He did not say whether Siyam's detention Sunday had any connection to items critical of the government which he posted on his blog.

Blogs are a key outlet for opposition views in Egypt, where the state dominates the media. Amnesty and Reporters Without Borders have both criticized Egypt for arresting bloggers, saying it restricts freedom of expression. Earlier this month, Reporters Without Borders put Egypt in a club of the 13 worst culprits for systematic online censorship along with Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Contact information for the Egyptian embassy:

The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Ct. NW
Washington, DC  20008
Phone (202) 895 5400
Fax (202) 244 5131
Email: [email protected]

U.S. Pushing for Revived Peace Process Ahead of Nov. 30 Conference in Jordan

The U.S. is making a new push to kick-start the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that could include an international peace conference in Jordan at the end of the month, said a U.S. official and diplomats. However, such a meeting hinges upon whether a new Palestinian government will meet Quartet conditions to recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by past agreements.

"When that (Palestinian) partner for peace is ready to work together with the rest of the international community, then many opportunities will present themselves," said a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ministers from the U.S., Russia, Egypt, the Gulf states and others will be at the Dead Sea in Jordan on November 30 for an annual Middle East democracy and development meeting and the U.S. hopes an international peace conference could be held just before that event.

Assistant Secretary of State David Welch has been in Egypt and Jordan this week, laying the groundwork for revived peace talks if a new Palestinian government is in place. One Arab diplomat said the conference proposal was an "American idea" that was far from being agreed on, but he said Arab nations were eager for the U.S. to become "re-engaged" on the issue.

Egyptian Security: Hamas MP's Used Rafah to Smuggle $4 Million in Suitcases

Yesterday, two Palestinian lawmakers from Hamas crossed the Egyptian border into Gaza on with more than $4 million in cash, bypassing a Western ban on bank transfers to the Palestinian Authority, Egyptian security sources said. Mushir al-Masri and Ahmad Bahar were allowed to use the Rafah crossing with the money in suitcases.

Egyptian authorities had stopped Masri when he tried to cross the border with $2 million on Tuesday, saying he should "wait for coordination." Border officials quoted Masri as saying on Tuesday he had collected the money during a trip to Saudi Arabia. Hamas officials have successfully brought cash across the Egyptian border into Gaza previously. In June, FM Mahmoud al-Zahar brought $20 million across the border stuffed in 12 suitcases.

Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting in Cairo to Discuss Response to Beit Hanoun

Foreign Ministers from Arab nations including Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait are in Cairo today for an emergency meeting to discuss an "immediate" and "proper" response to the Israeli shelling of a town in Beit Hanoun. The ministers were scheduled to discuss measures that could be taken against Israel after the U.S. vetoed an Arab-backed draft Security Council resolution condemning the attack.

Secretary Rice said that the U.S. was "compelled" to reject the resolution because it "used the tragic incident in Beit Hanoun to advance a one-sided political agenda." Ten of the 15 council member nations voted in favor while four - Britain, Denmark, Japan and the Slovak Republic - abstained. The draft had demanded an immediate withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza and an end of "aggression" by Israel, which was labelled the "occupying power."

Understanding 5,000 Years of Imperial History in the Middle East in 90 Seconds

Here's something interesting we found over at Evangelical Outpost. Ever wondered who has controlled the Middle East over the course of history? This great animation takes you through the last 5,000 years in just 90 seconds.

Security Cabinet Approves U.S. Requests, Tells IDF to Ready for Gaza Ops

The IDF failed on Wednesday to obtain a green light from the Security Cabinet to expand operations in Gaza. Instead, the army was told to train and prepare for extended operations, but not to deploy. The Cabinet also decided to expand cooperation with Egypt in an effort to prevent arms smuggling. Both Military Intelligence and Shin Bet warned that Hamas is smuggling weapons into Gaza at an accelerated pace. They also said that Gaza was becoming increasingly politically radicalized.

Newly appointed minister Avigdor Lieberman, attending his first meeting of the forum, said that Israel should act "like the Russians in Chechnya" and cultivate a friendly local leadership in Gaza. He argued that there was no point in toppling the Hamas government until there was something to put in its place.

The other order of business at Wednesday's meeting was to approve a series of gestures the White House is demanding in advance of PM Ehud Olmert's Washington visit scheduled to take place in a little more than a week from now. The Bush administration wanted Israel to approve - and it did - a plan to arm and train forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Gen. Keith Dayton, the U.S. security coordinator in the territories, wants to prepare Abbas' forces in Gaza for a confrontation with Hamas, which the U.S. believes is inevitable. The training has been underway for a month.

The White House also wants Israel to withdraw its longstanding opposition to allow the Badr Brigade of the PLO to move into the Palestinian territories from Jordan. Dayton wants to turn it into Abbas' rapid reaction force in Gaza. Olmert's office said approval of the Badr Brigade request is unlikely "right now," but should he face a direct request from President Bush it's unlikely he will refuse, though Defense Minister Amir Peretz must also approve the decision.

Israel, Denmark Top List of 'Enemy Nations' in New Poll of Egyptian Attitudes

A new poll of Egyptians finds that 27 years after the Camp David Peace Accords, an astounding 92 percent see Israel as an enemy nation. Behind Israel was Denmark with 60 percent calling it an enemy nation. That figure certainly stems from Muslim rage over the publication of caricatures of the prophet Muhammad by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Coming in third on the most-hated list is the U.S. with 50 percent of respondents seeing America as an enemy of Egypt. Which countries have been crowned as 'friends' of Egypt? The list is topped by Saudi Arabia, Libya, the Palestinian Authority, Sudan and Syria.

Security Cabinet to Decide Next Step in Gaza; IDF Operates in Beit Hanun

MediaLine reports that the Israeli security cabinet is meeting today to debate the next moves in Gaza. Media reports indicate a growing rift among senior army officers advocating strong measures, particularly in and around the Philadelphi Route, and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, who believes the solution lies in diplomacy. Philadelphi is a narrow swath of land between Gaza and Egypt beneath which scores of tunnels have been dug and are used to smuggle weapons from Egypt to Palestinian terrorist groups.

Some Israeli military leaders are suggesting a permanent takeover of the area, a move strongly rejected by the Peretz. The problem of arms smuggling is not new and predates last year's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. In order to achieve his political objective, then-PM Ariel Sharon made considerable concessions including settling on an arrangement under which Egypt was supposed to patrol its side of the border, thus enabling Israel to back away from its original plan to retain military control of that area.

In light of the war with Hezbollah this summer though, Israel views the arms smuggling much more seriously. Senior officers are warning that the Hezbollah formula is being duplicated inside Gaza. One officer told a parliamentary committee that Hamas was creating a commando unit trained in the use of the anti-tank missiles that were effective for Hezbollah and are being smuggled into Gaza through the tunnels and stockpiled.

Last night, IDF forces began operating in the town of Beit Hanun, in northern Gaza. The operation is directed against terror organizations in the town and its goal is to disrupt and prevent the launching of Qassam rockets into Israel. Terror organizations have launched over 300 rockets into Israel from the Beit Hanun area since the beginning of the year.

During the operation the IDF carried out three aerial attacks against armed gunmen approaching the forces and planting explosives in the area. In one incident, forces fired at two gunmen who had fired anti-tank missiles at the soldiers, and identified hitting them. One Israeli soldier was killed.

Egypt May Amend Constitution to Make Presidential Politics More Accessible

Egypt will amend its constitution to make it easier for candidates to run for president, part of long-delayed political reforms that President Hosni Mubarak plans to carry out next year, Parliament Speaker Fathi Sorour said. The reforms would include changes to an article that had been criticized as opening the way for Mubarak's son, Gamal, to succeed him.

Presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad also noted a change was likely, saying in a statement that Mubarak "won't oppose considering an amendment to article 76 in order to increase the chances of parties to participate in presidential elections."

Opponents say the ruling National Democratic Party will do nothing to bring real change to the country's political scene, which has been dominated by Mubarak since 1981. The U.S. has called greater democracy in the Middle East a top priority, and at one time wanted its ally Egypt to be the centerpiece of reform.

Gamal Mubarak, 42, has risen rapidly through the ranks of his father's party in recent years and is now deputy secretary general. Hosni Mubarak, 78, has also never appointed a vice president, saying he has not found someone suitable and is not required to by the constitution.