Mubarak: "Miss Me Yet?.............from Dan Friedman

[No doubt this is just a passing phase that will end as soon as the Muslim Bros get the hang of this democracy thing. df]

Times of Israel, March 12, 2012

Egyptian parliament demands to cut ties with Israel over Gaza

People’s Assembly urges government to banish Israeli ambassador, stop exporting gas to Israel, but politicians’ calls will likely have little impact

Egypt's parliament unanimously voted to expel the Israeli ambassador, and called on the government Monday to cut diplomatic ties with Israel, following what it called Israel’s “barbaric” attacks on the Gaza Strip, independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported.

The People’s Assembly, Egypt’s lower house, drafted a list of demands endorsed unanimously, calling for the deportation of the Israeli ambassador in Egypt, halting export of natural gas to Israel, and “reexamining” the Camp David peace accords with Israel.

“Revolutionary Egypt will never be a friend or ally of the Zionist regime which we consider the primary enemy of Egypt and its Arab people,” read the unusually strong-worded statement. “[Egypt] will treat this entity as an enemy. The government is urged to reexamine its relations and agreements with this enemy.”

The Egyptian parliament, primarily composed of Islamist members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Nour parties, is significantly more hostile to Israel that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Egypt’s de-facto military rulers.

Egyptian diplomats told Haaretz they were attempting to enforce a cease fire between Israel and Gaza by Tuesday morning. Hamas has conveyed its interest to renew calm through Egyptian intelligence mediators.

The parliamentary recommendations, elaborated in eight articles, also include extending aid to the Palestinians; adopting “all forms of resistance” against Israel; and urging the Arab League to oppose the Judaization of Jerusalem. The parliament also called on the Egyptian government to reexamine the country’s nuclear policy if Israel continues to refuse international inspection of its nuclear facilities.

The motion is largely symbolic because only the ruling military council can make such decisions, and it is not likely to impact Egypt’s relations with Israel. But the move signals the seismic change in Egypt after the ouster of longtime leader and Israeli ally Hosni Mubarak a year ago.

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[Mr. Obama, how can we ever thank you? df]