By Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani
"CAIRO, May 19, 2011 (IPS) - Recent Muslim-Christian clashes have renewed fears of sectarian conflict in Egypt. But many local analysts - along with wide swathes of the public - believe sectarian tensions are being stoked by elements loyal to the ousted Hosni Mubarak regime in possible coordination with Israel.
"Whoever is fanning the flames of sectarian conflict has two objectives: to distract attention from the ongoing prosecution of Mubarak and his henchmen, and to derail what's being described as the Third Intifadah," political activist Mugahid Sherara told IPS....
While the twin incidents were initially attributed to local Muslim-Christian rivalries, it later emerged that the violence had been largely instigated by outsiders.
"Initial investigations confirm that the events in Imbaba were planned and instigated by hired ruffians, not religious zealots," Justice Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz al-Gindi announced on May 11. He went on to blame the incidents on an ongoing "counter-revolution aimed at destroying national unity."....
"The men who torched the church looked like professional thugs, not religious extremists. They weren't from around here. It looked pre-planned," one Coptic eyewitness, preferring anonymity, told IPS. The eyewitness added that frictions between the neighbourhood's Muslims and Christians had been "previously unheard of."
The May 11 edition of state daily Al-Missa quoted local Coptic clergymen who described the events as "a conspiracy."....
Numerous local commentators blame the mounting sectarian tension on "remnants of the former regime," which, they say, have a vested interest in derailing post-revolutionary Egypt's transition to democracy. A number of commentators, including prominent political figures, have also alluded to a possible Israeli role in the recent sectarian flare-ups.
On Mar. 15, Deputy Prime Minister Yehia al-Gamal, appointed by the ruling SCAF following Mubarak's ouster, warned of a "counter-revolution directed by elements of the former regime and Israel, which… is currently working against Egypt's interests."....
On the following day, prominent political commentator Fahmi Howeidi asserted that "the possibility of Israeli involvement (in the ongoing sectarian strife) cannot be ruled out." Israel, he wrote in independent daily Al-Shorouk, "was badly frustrated by the ouster of Mubarak, who Israel officials had publicly described as a 'strategic treasure'."
Notably, last November, former head of Israeli military intelligence Amos Yadlin openly bragged about Israel's success in "promoting sectarian tension" in Egypt. "We have succeeded in promoting sectarian and social tension there so as to create a permanent atmosphere of turmoil," Yadlin was quoted as saying in the Hebrew- and Arabic-language press....."
"CAIRO, May 19, 2011 (IPS) - Recent Muslim-Christian clashes have renewed fears of sectarian conflict in Egypt. But many local analysts - along with wide swathes of the public - believe sectarian tensions are being stoked by elements loyal to the ousted Hosni Mubarak regime in possible coordination with Israel.
"Whoever is fanning the flames of sectarian conflict has two objectives: to distract attention from the ongoing prosecution of Mubarak and his henchmen, and to derail what's being described as the Third Intifadah," political activist Mugahid Sherara told IPS....
While the twin incidents were initially attributed to local Muslim-Christian rivalries, it later emerged that the violence had been largely instigated by outsiders.
"Initial investigations confirm that the events in Imbaba were planned and instigated by hired ruffians, not religious zealots," Justice Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz al-Gindi announced on May 11. He went on to blame the incidents on an ongoing "counter-revolution aimed at destroying national unity."....
"The men who torched the church looked like professional thugs, not religious extremists. They weren't from around here. It looked pre-planned," one Coptic eyewitness, preferring anonymity, told IPS. The eyewitness added that frictions between the neighbourhood's Muslims and Christians had been "previously unheard of."
The May 11 edition of state daily Al-Missa quoted local Coptic clergymen who described the events as "a conspiracy."....
Numerous local commentators blame the mounting sectarian tension on "remnants of the former regime," which, they say, have a vested interest in derailing post-revolutionary Egypt's transition to democracy. A number of commentators, including prominent political figures, have also alluded to a possible Israeli role in the recent sectarian flare-ups.
On Mar. 15, Deputy Prime Minister Yehia al-Gamal, appointed by the ruling SCAF following Mubarak's ouster, warned of a "counter-revolution directed by elements of the former regime and Israel, which… is currently working against Egypt's interests."....
On the following day, prominent political commentator Fahmi Howeidi asserted that "the possibility of Israeli involvement (in the ongoing sectarian strife) cannot be ruled out." Israel, he wrote in independent daily Al-Shorouk, "was badly frustrated by the ouster of Mubarak, who Israel officials had publicly described as a 'strategic treasure'."
Notably, last November, former head of Israeli military intelligence Amos Yadlin openly bragged about Israel's success in "promoting sectarian tension" in Egypt. "We have succeeded in promoting sectarian and social tension there so as to create a permanent atmosphere of turmoil," Yadlin was quoted as saying in the Hebrew- and Arabic-language press....."
No comments:
Post a Comment