Hamas 'biggest loser' of Morsi's overthrow

[Lipush]

Only hours before Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi deposed now ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood, senior Hamas official Ahmed Yousef said that the organization does not fear the fall of Morsi's Islamist regime.

"But we are afraid of dramatic changes," Yousef said, adding that Hamas "is afraid things will spiral out of control and that there will be bloodshed." He was right about the first part – the military overthrow did have major implications and Hamas – as a source close to the Gaza government told Ynet – "is in complete and utter shock."

The Palestinian Authority welcomed the news of the second Egyptian revolution. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas didn't miss a beat and by morning had already sent a congratulatory letter to interim Egyptian President Adli Mansour, expressing hope that he will succeed in realizing the Egyptian people's dream of freedom, honor and stability.

However, more than 24-hours after the fall of Morsi's regime, not a single Hamas representative from either its Gaza or international branches has said a word regarding the developments in Egypt.

Eventually, Hamas's leadership will have to release a statement welcoming the new president, a statement that will have very little to do with their true hearts' desire; however it is telling that on the night of Febuary 11 2011, the day Hosni Mubarak was ousted, Gazans and their Hamas leaders were literally dancing on rooftops in celebration.

At the time, Hamas's leadership was quick to exhibit their schadenfreude and publicly exclaim what had up until then only been said behind closed doors. A year and a half later, when their brethren from the Muslim Brotherhood won the election and took the reigns of control, Hamas was ecstatic.

However, the political events in Egypt had already begun exerting influence on life in Gaza, even while Morsi's presidency was still intact. For more than a month, Egypt's army has been hard at work battling the systems of tunnels connecting the blockaded strip to the port city of Rafah.

For more than a week all tunnel movement has come to a complete standstill barring the transfer of small quantities of diesel fuel, official data published Hamas revealed; and a halt in the flow of goods immediately caused prices to skyrocket.

The Rafah crossing is open and operational, but according to Hamas's Deputy Foreign Minister Razi Hamed, last week only 600 people were permitted to pass daily into Sinai, as opposed to 1,200 usually allowed. In addition, the last few days have seen an influx in Palestinians returning from Egypt to Gaza fearing for their safety in light of the developments in the country and the anti-Hamas sentiment prevalent in Egypt. Both developments seem to work poorly for Hamas.

However, not everyone is displeased. Those in Gaza not affiliated with Hamas expressed hope that the events in Egypt would influence those taking place in Gaza. According to a source from outside Hamas's ranks, the fact that Hamas has lost its largest patron makes the organization the first and possibly biggest loser of Morsi's historic fall.

Gaza: Hamas 'biggest loser' of Morsi's overthrow - Israel News, Ynetnews

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[MJB12741]

Damn. What a break for the Palestinians. With Hamas ruling them Israel has no reason to negotiate peace to better their lives & just moves on to make more endless worldly contributions to civilized humanity. Down with the PA. Long live Hamas.

Only hours before Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi deposed now ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood, senior Hamas official Ahmed Yousef said that the organization does not fear the fall of Morsi's Islamist regime.

"But we are afraid of dramatic changes," Yousef said, adding that Hamas "is afraid things will spiral out of control and that there will be bloodshed." He was right about the first part – the military overthrow did have major implications and Hamas – as a source close to the Gaza government told Ynet – "is in complete and utter shock."

The Palestinian Authority welcomed the news of the second Egyptian revolution. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas didn't miss a beat and by morning had already sent a congratulatory letter to interim Egyptian President Adli Mansour, expressing hope that he will succeed in realizing the Egyptian people's dream of freedom, honor and stability.

However, more than 24-hours after the fall of Morsi's regime, not a single Hamas representative from either its Gaza or international branches has said a word regarding the developments in Egypt.

Eventually, Hamas's leadership will have to release a statement welcoming the new president, a statement that will have very little to do with their true hearts' desire; however it is telling that on the night of Febuary 11 2011, the day Hosni Mubarak was ousted, Gazans and their Hamas leaders were literally dancing on rooftops in celebration.

At the time, Hamas's leadership was quick to exhibit their schadenfreude and publicly exclaim what had up until then only been said behind closed doors. A year and a half later, when their brethren from the Muslim Brotherhood won the election and took the reigns of control, Hamas was ecstatic.

However, the political events in Egypt had already begun exerting influence on life in Gaza, even while Morsi's presidency was still intact. For more than a month, Egypt's army has been hard at work battling the systems of tunnels connecting the blockaded strip to the port city of Rafah.

For more than a week all tunnel movement has come to a complete standstill barring the transfer of small quantities of diesel fuel, official data published Hamas revealed; and a halt in the flow of goods immediately caused prices to skyrocket.

The Rafah crossing is open and operational, but according to Hamas's Deputy Foreign Minister Razi Hamed, last week only 600 people were permitted to pass daily into Sinai, as opposed to 1,200 usually allowed. In addition, the last few days have seen an influx in Palestinians returning from Egypt to Gaza fearing for their safety in light of the developments in the country and the anti-Hamas sentiment prevalent in Egypt. Both developments seem to work poorly for Hamas.

However, not everyone is displeased. Those in Gaza not affiliated with Hamas expressed hope that the events in Egypt would influence those taking place in Gaza. According to a source from outside Hamas's ranks, the fact that Hamas has lost its largest patron makes the organization the first and possibly biggest loser of Morsi's historic fall.

Gaza: Hamas 'biggest loser' of Morsi's overthrow - Israel News, Ynetnews

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[Roudy]

I thought The Biggest Looser was a TV show! My bad.

 

[toastman]

I have two words to describe hoe I feel about this situation:

Allah Ahkbar !!!!!

 

[Roudy]

Palestinian Biggest Looser, before and after:

 

[waltky]

Morsi investigated for bein' a Hamas spy...

Ousted Egyptian president Morsi accused of spying for Hamas
Friday 26th July, 2013 - Just as the clamour for his immediate release was growing louder the world over, Egyptian state media reported Friday that former president Mohamed Morsi has been arrested and formally charged with espionage and conspiring with Palestinian militant group Hamas.

As the new broke out, people both pro- and anti-Morsi turned out in vast numbers across Egypt in mass protests. The MENA news agency said Morsi has been detained for 15 days for investigation into the charges. His detention can be extended as the news agency indicated that he had already been interrogated. An investigating judge ordered him imprisoned for 15 days on formal charges, according to the MENA report on the website of the flagship state newspaper, Al Ahram. The charges relate to Morsi's escape in 2011 from the Wadi Natroun prison, where he was held for two days by the government of the president Hosni Mubarak during the uprising against Mubarak's rule.

Judge Hassan Samir, said Morsi had conspired with Hamas the Palestinian militant group that governs the Gaza Strip and is allied with Morsi's movement, the Muslim Brotherhood to escape from the prison. The report said that Morsi was being investigated over allegations of collaborating with Hamas "to carry out anti-state acts, attacking police stations, army officers and storming prisons, setting fire to one prison and enabling inmates to flee, including himself, as well as premeditated killing of officers, soldiers and prisoners".

Morsi had in a television interview at that time said that he was among 30 members of the Muslim Brotherhood who were rescued from the prison by men they did not know. The move comes as Egypt's military rulers were under intensifying international pressure to release Morsi, who has been held incommunicado by the military since he was removed from power July 3. UN chief Ban Ki-moon demanded that Morsi and his high-level backers "be released or have their cases reviewed transparently without delay," said deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey. The Hamas group has denied the jailbreak and terror charges.

In a statement, Salah al-Bardawil, a Hamas spokesman, challenged Egyptian prosecutors to present evidence that the group had any involvement with the prison break. "This is an implication of Hamas into a dishonorable political battle," he said. Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, said Friday that the charges amounted to a repudiation of the revolt that toppled Mubarak and "might increase the number of angry people on the ground". "It will only help strengthen the realization that the Mubarak state is back," he said. Morsi's supporters and opponents flooded the streets Friday, as the military set up checkpoints throughout the city.

Source

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In Egypt bloodshed, dozens of Morsi backers killed
July 27, 2013 - — Security forces and armed men clashed with supporters of Egypt's ousted president early Saturday, killing at least 65 people in mayhem that underscored an increasingly heavy hand against protests demanding Mohammed Morsi's return to office.

In chaotic scenes, pools of blood stained the floor and bodies were lined up under white sheets in a makeshift hospital near the site of the battles in eastern Cairo. Doctors struggled to cope with the flood of dozens of wounded, many with gunshots to the head or chest. It was the deadliest single outbreak of violence since the military ousted Morsi on July 3 and one of the deadliest in 2 ½ years of turmoil in Egypt. It was not immediately clear if all the 65 killed were all protesters or if residents who joined the fight against the march were among the dead. The Brotherhood said that 66 Morsi supporters were killed in the Cairo violence.

The extent of the bloodshed pointed to a rapidly building confrontation between the country's two camps, sharply divided over the coup that removed Egypt's first freely elected president after widespread protests against his rule. Authorities talk more boldly of making a move to end weeks of protests by Morsi's largely Islamist supporters. At the same time, the Islamists are growing more assertive in challenging security forces as they try to win public backing for their cause.

Saturday's clashes were sparked when pro-Morsi protesters sought to expand their main Cairo sit-in camp by moving onto a nearby main boulevard, only to be confronted by police and armed civilians — reportedly residents of nearby neighborhoods. Police initially fired tear gas but in ensuing clashes, the protesters came under gunfire. Officials from Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and their allies decried what they called a new "massacre" against their side, only weeks after July 8 clashes with army troops in Cairo that left more than 50 Morsi supporters dead.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that he spoke to Egyptian authorities, saying it is "essential" they respect the right to peaceful protest. He called on all sides to enter a "meaningful political dialogue" to "help their country take a step back from the brink." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also asked security forces to "act with full respect for human rights" and demonstrators to "exercise restraint."

- See more at: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/egypt-bloodshed-dozens-morsi-backers-killed#sthash.ZSTVFkhj.dpuf