Israel Matzav: Democracy, Egyptian style

Democracy, Egyptian style

The New York Times' Lede blog reports on protests outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo on Sunday in which 136 people were arrested. The Times comes up with this description of the Egyptian justice system:

Since it took control of Egypt from Mr. Mubarak in February, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has demonstrated a willingness to use military courts to administer rough justice to civilians arrested for speaking their minds at protests or online.

In March, a military court sentenced Amr Abdullah El-Behairy to five years in jail for scuffling with a soldier during a protest, after a three-minute trial at which no defense lawyers were present. (Witnesses said that the protester was the one attacked, not the officer.)

Last month another protester, Maikel Nabil, was convicted of “insulting the Armed Forces” on his blog and sentenced to three years in jail.

This video report from Al-Masry Al-Youm on the clashes on Sunday shows that some protesters were badly wounded by the Egyptian security forces defending Israel’s embassy (be warned, the report contains some graphic images):

Let's go to the videotape.




The Times then goes on to post a comment from another Egyptian blogger wondering why the military reacted so vehemently to what happened at the Israeli embassy and not to the burning of two Coptic churches a few days earlier.

A few comments about this. First, perhaps the reason why the military reacted so strongly was that they saw what happened when they didn't react strongly enough to the destruction of the churches in Imbaba.

Second, there's an undertone in the Times article that's blaming Israel for what happened. We don't decide for the Egyptian military or police how they are going to react to demonstrations - violent or otherwise - in their territory. One would expect that an Israeli embassy would receive much (or as little) protection as any other embassy. I am sure that the Israeli government has security officials inside, but the first line of defense in this type of case is the local law enforcement agencies. They decide how they will react.

Third, no democracy gives an unfettered right to demonstrate violently nor to demonstrate in every place at any time. You can't. I agree that the locals should be free to express their anger at us, but that doesn't include the right to harm persons or property in the embassy.

Fourth, treaties are contracts between governments and cannot be lightly abrogated because a different government seizes power. If the Egyptians want to abrogate the treaty, most Israelis will be deeply disappointed, but of course, if they do abrogate the treaty we will expect Egypt to abrogate it completely and to return to Israel all that it received in exchange for the treaty, including every last grain of sand in Sinai. You can't have it both ways.

Israel Matzav: Democracy, Egyptian style

Israel Matzav: Arab commentators agree: Assad behind Naqba day events

Arab commentators agree: Assad behind Naqba day events

Arab commentators agree that Syrian President Bashar

al-Assad was behind Sunday's events at Majdal Shams on the Syrian border.

The Syrian government "made use" of Sunday's rallies to "divert attention from... the Syrian uprising which has been the main event in Syria for months," said Burhan Ghalioun, director of the Centre for Contemporary Eastern Studies.

...

Sunday's protesters -- most of them Palestinian refugees living in Syria -- would have never made it across the armistice line without a nod of approval from President Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime, analysts said.

"Neither the Syrians nor the Palestinians in Syria can move alone. Syrian security services use people as tools. They inspire, organise and point out" to people what to do, said Ghalioun.

"If the Syrian regime was in a different situation, it would have not allowed the protesters to enter through the Golan," he said.

What happened Sunday "fell right within the regime's will."

Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut, agreed that the protesters could not have done it without the regime's support.

This is risk free for Assad. Israel isn't going to start a war over an invasion that looks mostly like civilians. Assad gets his crackdown out of the headlines for a day or so. And if someone happens to steal his way in long enough to bring back some intelligence, all the better.

What could go wrong?

Israel Matzav: Arab commentators agree: Assad behind Naqba day events

Israel Matzav: IDF won't release video of Lebanese Armed Forces shooting protesters

IDF won't release video of Lebanese Armed Forces shooting protesters

The IDF has decided not to release video that shows members of the Lebanese Armed Forces shooting at protesters on the border area between Maroun al-Ras and Avivim on Sunday. The IDF fears that if the video is released, the LAF will do nothing to stop the protesters the next time. The IDF itself has been accused of doing the shooting and killing ten protesters.

The video was taken by the IDF of the area just north of the town of Avivim, where hundreds of Palestinian refugees gathered on Sunday to participate in Nakba Day demonstrations against Israel. At one point, a group of the protesters rushed to the border but were pushed back by soldiers from the Lebanese Armed Forces.

IDF soldiers also opened fire at the legs of some of the protesters who managed to penetrate the LAF perimeter and reach the border fence. Lebanese media reported that 10 people were killed. But senior IDF officers said on Monday that it was likely that most of the dead were killed by the LAF gunfire.

The decision not to release the video was made during consultations between the IDF and the Prime Minister’s Office, both of which were concerned that its release to the public could embarrass the LAF, and in turn deter the Lebanese army from responding aggressively the next time protesters try to storm the border.

Of course, if there is a UN investigation, we might be forced to release that video.... Heh.

Israel Matzav: IDF won't release video of Lebanese Armed Forces shooting protesters

Israel Matzav: Briefing on Sunday's event with IDF Lt. Col. Avital Leibovitch

Briefing on Sunday's event with IDF Lt. Col. Avital Leibovitch

I participated in a bloggers' briefing with IDF Lt. Col. Avital Leibovitch. The briefing took place at approximately 5:30 this evening. A summary is below.

At the Syrian border, the IDF noticed a few thousand Syrians gathered in the area of the Syrian side of Majdal Shams. Because there is a protest there every year on 'Naqba Day,' they didn't consider it unusual, but suddenly approximately 1000 people ran for the border fence, including women, children and youth. A few dozen Syrians managed to cross the fence to the Israeli side.

The IDF commander in the area decided only to open fire at those people who started to destroy structures in the area. Some of the civilians in Majdal Shams helped Syrians to cross the border.

Half an hour ago a group went back to Syria and a few hours ago another group left. There may still be (!) a few left.

In Majdal Shams, 30 Syrians were lightly wounded (estimate) and the IDF gave them medical attention. Lt. Col. Leibovitch could not confirm the number of Syrians killed that was reported in the media today.

Syrian troops did not intervene - they sat and watched. The IDF thinks it's a distraction from Assad's problems and that the Syrian army intentionally let it happen.

They believe they have intelligence to know if anyone from Syria stays in Majdal Shams or tries to enter Israel. She did not get into specifics.

There was also a demonstration in Quneitra but that was quiet.

On the Lebanese border, there were demonstrations (she called all the demonstrations riots) near the Good Fence in the Metualla area, but the Lebanese Armed Forces used weapons to control the crowds.

At Maroun Aras (also called Ras Amoun elsewhere in this blog), rioters tried to break the border fence, IDF opened fire selectively at those who tried to approach the fence. The Syrian and Lebanese borders are 120km long so today's events were a huge test. The IDF has ten wounded soldiers and three officers - all lightly wounded from rocks.

600 people protested at Qalandia on the outskirts of Jerusalem, and teargas was used against them. Footage is being put up showing the 'Palestinian' rioters hiding behind ambulances. It took a few hours and was contained.

At the southern border, the IDF identified a large number of Gazans moving toward Erez late this morning. This did not succeed. The IDF opened fire with warning shots in order to keep the 'Palestinians' on the Gaza side. Hopefully tomorrow will be quiet. The IDF is controlling all areas.

The IDF believes that the situation is under control. They believe Hezbullah, Hamas and Iran were behind this, and that they coordinated today's attacks.

******

From here on is NOT from Lt. Col. Leibovitch.

Israel Radio adds that the big fear is that this will happen again in September. It is difficult for the IDF to deal with 'unarmed' protesters approaching the border area (it's not clear to me why - it's an act of war for a hostile company to send its citizens charging at another country's border whether they are armed or not). The Israel Radio analyst suggested mining the entire northern border area.

More to follow....

Israel Matzav: Briefing on Sunday's event with IDF Lt. Col. Avital Leibovitch

Israel Matzav: Breaking: 10 Syrians killed, Bibi reacts

Breaking: 10 Syrians killed, Bibi reacts

Israel Radio reports at 6:00 pm that Israel has returned 10 bodies to Syria.

Some Syrian wounded may be treated in Israel.

The IDF is searching for those who did not return to Syria from Majdal Shams.

In Lebanon, 6 dead and 71 wounded in Maroun Aras.

After the 6:00 pm news we got reactions from Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has ordered the IDF to calm things down as quickly as possible.

Prime Minister Netanyahu says we are determined to defend our borders and our ownership. Important to note that this day is meant to mark the establishment of the State of Israel. The fight isn't over the 1967 borders, but over the very existence of Israel, which they call a catastrophe. It's important to know with whom and what we are contending.

Hopefully, Netanyahu will remember that when he speaks in Washington next week, and tell the Congress and President Obama that this is not about the 1967 borders, but about Israel's very existence.

Finally, Israel Radio is reporting that all the Syrian infiltrators left and the Syrian buses returned them home.

The border fence will be repaired - it was broken open in two places. The IDF is fixing it now.


Israel Matzav: Breaking: 10 Syrians killed, Bibi reacts

Israel Matzav: Video: 'Palestinian' rioters in Qalandia use ambulance for cover

Video: 'Palestinian' rioters in Qalandia use ambulance for cover

Here are 'brave' 'Palestinian' rioters in Qalandia on the outskirts of Jerusalem using an ambulance for cover.

Let's go to the videotape.




Israel Matzav: Video: 'Palestinian' rioters in Qalandia use ambulance for cover

Love of the Land: Let’s Be Honest with the Palestinians

Let’s Be Honest with the Palestinians

Jennifer Rubin
Contentions/Commentary
01 March '10

Obama’s now ill-fated Middle East policy has proved to be disastrous. The Israelis distrust him. Ths Syrians snub him. The Palestinians are contemplating another intifada, the pretext this time being Israel’s decision to include the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb within its heritage-protection program. Obama began his foray into the Middle East by declaring that it was essential to speak “honestly” with the parties and to say the same thing in public and private. Fair enough. But alas, he seems to have reserved all that honesty for the Israelis, for whom heritage programs, apartment buildings, and the blockade of Gaza are all taken as offenses against Palestinian sensibilities. Don’t aggravate them! Don’t inflame things! Israel is expected to forgo its legitimate interests, whether for security or cultural preservation, because the Palestinians apparently are incapable of accepting it is a normal state with normal concerns.

Not only does the perpetual stream of American complaints strike the Israelis (and others) as intensely one-sided and irrelevant to the core issue that prevents peace from breaking out of “process” and into reality, but it infantilizes the Palestinians, treating them as psychotic children and playing to their worst tendencies. The upcoming Naqba Day — the epitome of victimology — is explained poignantly here:

(Read full post)

Love of the Land: Let’s Be Honest with the Palestinians