TFLE01: PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL COMMITTEE CONDEMNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 004760 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR MIKE SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV LE IS EG SUBJECT: TFLE01: PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL COMMITTEE CONDEMNS U.S. IN EMERGENCY SESSION, OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AND PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOLLOW SUIT REF: CAIRO 4680 Classified by A/DCM Asif Chaudhry, for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a July 31 emergency session, the "General Committee of Egypt's People's Assembly" condemned Israel's "war crimes" and "American complicity with Israel in preventing the UNSC for carrying out its role." The Arab and Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee of the Shura Council (the upper house of parliament) urged August 1 "serious and swift efforts to reach an urgent and unconditional resolution by the UNSC on halting Israeli military operations inside Lebanon." According to press reports, during an August 1 meeting of the influential NDP Policies Committee, NDP Secretary General Safwat al-Sherif condemned the Israeli attack on Qana as "a criminal massacre and a war of annihilation and state terrorism" and NDP Assistant Secretary General Gamal Mubarak reportedly "expressed rejection of ideas about a 'new Middle East'." On August 1, the influential Judges Club and Egyptian Labor Union separately issued statements condemning Israel and the U.S., and the Arab Lawyers Union called for a boycott of American and Israeli products. We anticipate that other groups, both governmental, opposition, and professional, will issue further such statements in the coming days. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) An emergency meeting of the "General Committee of Egypt's People's Assembly" was convened July 31 by Ahmed Fathy Sorour, Speaker of the Parliament and ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) MP, following which Sorour made a statement "deploring U.S. connivance with Israel by encouraging its assault on Lebanon and hindering the UNSC's role." (Note: The General Committee is chaired by Sorour, and its membership is comprised of Zainab Radwan (Deputy Speaker of Parliament),Abdel Aziz Mostafa (Deputy Speaker of Parliament),NDP bloc leader Abdel Ahad Gamal El Deen, Al Wafd Party SYG Mahmoud Abaza, Mohamad Shaban (Tagammu Party), Zakareyya Azmy (NDP MP and President Hosni Mubarak's chief of staff),Mohammad Dakroury (appointed MP and Mubarak's lawyer),Mohammad Ramzy El Shaer (appointed MP),Farouk Ashour (NDP MP) and Kamal Ahmad (former Nasserite and current independent bloc leader) End note). The emergency session of the General Committee followed the NDP MP's successful
blocking of an effort by opposition and independent parliamentarians to force an emergency session of the full Parliament to debate the Lebanon crisis. ¶3. (SBU) Following the emergency meeting, the General Committee issued a statement that: -- declared that permanent UN Security Council (UNSC) members, especially the United States, bear responsibility for violations of international law, and appealed to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to call on the UNSC to shoulder SIPDIS its responsibility pursuant to Chapter Seven of the UN Charter; -- condemned American complicity with Israel in preventing the UNSC in carrying out its role; -- condemned Israel's "war crimes" that violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, warning of the dire consequences of the current crisis for the Middle East peace process; -- rejected the "new Middle East Project" which "some sides" are advancing at the expense of countries in the region; -- called on families of victims of Israeli attacks to file lawsuits in Belgium, France and Spain; -- emphasized the legitimacy of the actions of the Lebanese resistance against occupation; and -- rejected "fallacious" Israeli "pretexts" for the attacks, as well as Israel's claim of self-defense, describing it as "lacking legal justification." ¶4. (C) In an August 2 meeting with poloff, NDP parliamentary bloc leader Abdel Ahad Gamal El Deen reviewed the General Committee's statement, and urged the U.S. to push for an immediate cease-fire. "I am angry and embarrassed by America's policy," he stated, lamenting that, "I am a friend of America, but I can't defend you now in front of Egyptians ... where has the 'honest broker' gone? Why have your principles, and your sense of justice vanished? You are hurting your friends in the Middle East, not just yourself. CAIRO 00004760 002 OF 002 It is in the interests of us all - the U.S., Israel, and your Arab supporters - that you change your approach, immediately." ¶5. (SBU) Media reports also note that the Arab and Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee of the Shura Council (the upper house of parliament) denounced the "Israeli carnage in Qana" during an August 1 meeting. A statement released following the meeting, which was chaired by NDP Secretary General and speaker of the Shura Council Safwat SIPDIS al-Sherif, "asserted support for statements by President Hosni Mubarak, in which he called for avoiding any attempts to drag Egypt into an irrational and illogical conflict," and "asserted the need for serious and swift efforts to reach an urgent and unconditional resolution by the UNSC on halting Israeli military operations inside Lebanon." The statement also called for the "unity of Arab ranks" and the need to activate "joint Arab action." ¶6. (SBU) According to press reports, during an August 1 meeting of the influential NDP Policies Committee, NDP Secretary General al-Sherif condemned the Israeli attack on SIPDIS Qana as "a criminal massacre and a war of annihilation and state terrorism." NDP Assistant Secretary General Gamal Mubarak reportedly "expressed rejection of ideas about a 'new Middle East,' stating that they are just like previous ideas, aiming at dissolving the Arab identity and dragging the region into conflicts and alliances that do not achieve Arab interests." ¶7. (SBU) In the wake of the deaths at Qana, the influential Judges Club held an August 1 emergency meeting to discuss the Lebanon crisis, and issued a statement condemning the "Qana Massacre" and calling for Arab and Muslim states to pressure Israel "and its ally the United States," for an immediate cease-fire, withdrawal from Lebanon, an international trial of Israel for its military operations, and compensation for Lebanese civilian victims of Israeli attacks. Also on August 1, the Arab Lawyers Union called for a boycott of American and Israeli products, and urged Arab Chambers of Commerce to freeze relations with both the U.S. and Israel. The Egyptian Labor Union issued an August 1 statement denouncing U.S. policy in support of Israel and U.S. "hegemony" over the UNSC and international organizations. Also on August 1, a conference was convened by Egyptian First Lady Suzanne Mubarak at the National Council of Women, under the banner "Together for Lebanon and Palestine." The gathering voiced solidarity with Lebanese women, and warned that the Israeli offensive "has become more like genocide ... the aggression is a violation of international law and human rights conventions set by the 'free world'." We anticipate that other groups, both governmental, opposition, and professional, will issue further such statements in the coming days. RICCIARDONE