Shiism or Politics? Stop Belittling Egypt and its People!
Mohamad Shmaysani Readers Number : 279
15/04/2009 The Egyptian regime’s campaign continues unabated against Hezbollah and its Secretary General in what pro-ruling party media outlets are trying to portray as an attempt to spread Shiism in Egypt along with other allegations; something prominent journalists have found insulting to both Egypt and its people as they sought to highlight the campaign’s political dimensions.
The Al-Quds al-Arabi daily chief editor, Abdul Bari Atwan, expressed deep regret at the retrogressive level of some Egyptian media rhetoric with regards to Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.
In his article published Wednesday, Atwan says that Egyptian regime’s campaign to demonize Sayyed Nasrallah and Hezbollah has three reasons:
“First, Sayyed Nasrallah’s popularity in Egypt, according to official polls, has been prevailing. Second, Hezbollah defeated Israel twice in 2000 and in 2006.
Third, Cairo needs to justify any future official alliance with Israel in case the former declares war on Iran under the pretext of destroying the Iranian nuclear program.”
The Arab journalist stresses that Sami Shehab, the Hezbollah member detained in Egypt, did not violate Egypt’s sovereignty “however he sought to break an unfair blockade on his brethren. Naivety culminates when they say that he wants to spread the Shiite belief on the Egyptian people. By doing this, they are belittling Egypt and they are insulting its people and its deep rooted beliefs,” Atwan wrote.
In an article in the Hayat daily, Jihad Khazen stresses Hezbollah has not and will not carry out any operation outside the land of confrontation with Israel. “Hezbollah’s animosity is solely to Israel and if Hezbollah has not carried out any operation in Europe or the United States, then I believe that the party shall not take this trend against any Arab country. Hezbollah’s member who is currently detained was on a mission to give assistance to the resistance, not on a mission against Egypt,” Khazen wrote.
He adds that Hezbollah is a Lebanese political party that does not have plans to spread Shiism, “the Fatimids had entered Egypt and then left it without turning this country into a Shiite one, and Hezbollah definitely will not.”
Lebanese daily Assafir’s publisher Talal Salman questioned the “secret behind this obscene media campaign for which the Egyptian regime has mobilized all of its men, experts and Arab and international connections. Some of Egypt’s official media outlets have brought back a long abandoned rhetoric and focused its heavy artillery on Hezbollah and its Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah by accusing him of what major powers cannot burden. This media has been using expressions none of which were used against Moshe Dian, Ariel Sharon, (Benjamin) Netanyahu or even (Avigdor) Lieberman who had threatened to destroy the High Dam (Assad Al-Ali) and bomb the presidential headquarters in Cairo.”
The matter, adds Salman, is mere political and “the word in this case is for the Egyptian people that will never forget Palestine and its people however much the unwilling might oppose.”
Mohamad Shmaysani Readers Number : 279
15/04/2009 The Egyptian regime’s campaign continues unabated against Hezbollah and its Secretary General in what pro-ruling party media outlets are trying to portray as an attempt to spread Shiism in Egypt along with other allegations; something prominent journalists have found insulting to both Egypt and its people as they sought to highlight the campaign’s political dimensions.
The Al-Quds al-Arabi daily chief editor, Abdul Bari Atwan, expressed deep regret at the retrogressive level of some Egyptian media rhetoric with regards to Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.
In his article published Wednesday, Atwan says that Egyptian regime’s campaign to demonize Sayyed Nasrallah and Hezbollah has three reasons:
“First, Sayyed Nasrallah’s popularity in Egypt, according to official polls, has been prevailing. Second, Hezbollah defeated Israel twice in 2000 and in 2006.
Third, Cairo needs to justify any future official alliance with Israel in case the former declares war on Iran under the pretext of destroying the Iranian nuclear program.”
The Arab journalist stresses that Sami Shehab, the Hezbollah member detained in Egypt, did not violate Egypt’s sovereignty “however he sought to break an unfair blockade on his brethren. Naivety culminates when they say that he wants to spread the Shiite belief on the Egyptian people. By doing this, they are belittling Egypt and they are insulting its people and its deep rooted beliefs,” Atwan wrote.
In an article in the Hayat daily, Jihad Khazen stresses Hezbollah has not and will not carry out any operation outside the land of confrontation with Israel. “Hezbollah’s animosity is solely to Israel and if Hezbollah has not carried out any operation in Europe or the United States, then I believe that the party shall not take this trend against any Arab country. Hezbollah’s member who is currently detained was on a mission to give assistance to the resistance, not on a mission against Egypt,” Khazen wrote.
He adds that Hezbollah is a Lebanese political party that does not have plans to spread Shiism, “the Fatimids had entered Egypt and then left it without turning this country into a Shiite one, and Hezbollah definitely will not.”
Lebanese daily Assafir’s publisher Talal Salman questioned the “secret behind this obscene media campaign for which the Egyptian regime has mobilized all of its men, experts and Arab and international connections. Some of Egypt’s official media outlets have brought back a long abandoned rhetoric and focused its heavy artillery on Hezbollah and its Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah by accusing him of what major powers cannot burden. This media has been using expressions none of which were used against Moshe Dian, Ariel Sharon, (Benjamin) Netanyahu or even (Avigdor) Lieberman who had threatened to destroy the High Dam (Assad Al-Ali) and bomb the presidential headquarters in Cairo.”
The matter, adds Salman, is mere political and “the word in this case is for the Egyptian people that will never forget Palestine and its people however much the unwilling might oppose.”
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