Protest diary

Wednesday 17 April
TWO HUNDRED intellectuals, public figures, politicians, celebrities, writers and university professors issued from the Bar Association's main headquarters a "letter of anger" addressed to President Hosni Mubarak. The letter called on the president to cut diplomatic ties with Israel and "restore Egypt as leader in the Arab world."
Furthermore, the signatories demanded that Egypt recall its ambassador from Washington, intensify the popular boycott of Israeli products and some American companies "that symbolise American globalisation." The statement also called for the end to Emergency Law in force since 1981. The signatories included Tareq El-Bishri, Youssef Chahine, Abdel-Wahab El-Messeri, Rev William Sedhom, Nabil El-Hilali, Fahmy Howeidy, Radwa Ashour, Galal Amin, Hamed Mahmoud, Ali Badrakhan, Kamle Zoheir, Essam El-Erian and Adam Hunein.
Massive demonstrations broke out in Al-Azhar University's hostel. The students burnt the Israeli and American flags and carried a mock coffin, the symbol of the Palestinian martyrs.
Friday 19 April
THE FUNERAL of Milad Hemeida, 24, the first Egyptian martyr of the Intifada, who was shot by Israeli snipers as he tried to cross the Egyptian- Israeli border to join the Palestinian resistance.
For the fourth successive week, Al-Azhar Mosque was the scene of massive Palestine solidarity demonstrations following the Friday prayers. Worshippers and demonstrators held red bandannas with isteshhadeyoun (martyrs) printed in white letters.
The Arab Doctors' Union held a public rally in solidarity with Palestine. The main speaker was Sheikh Youssef El-Qaradawi, popular Islamic scholar based in Qatar. El-Qaradawi stressed that "what is happening [in Palestine] is deeper than an Intifada, it is a noble jihad and resistance movement." The Arabs, he said, made three major mistakes regarding the Palestinian question. First, "Viewing it as a [strictly] Palestinian issue when the Al-Aqsa Mosque belongs to the entire nation." Second, "Insisting that peace is the only strategic option. How can you say that when they're killing and raping [the Palestinians]? No, all options are open." Three, "Considering the US a peace broker."
Saturday 20 April
THOUSANDS of angry students demonstrated against Israel in the Beni Sueif branch of Cairo University in Upper Egypt. Demonstrators chanted anti-American slogans and criticised the "disgraceful" stance of the Arab regimes. The students telephoned Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz El-Rantisi and relayed his speech via loud speakers to the demonstrators.
Six Egyptians tried to infiltrate the Egyptian- Israeli border and join the Palestinian resistance.
A number of students from Cairo, Ain Shams, Helwan and Al-Azhar universities demonstrated outside the Arab League headquarters in central Cairo against the US support for Israel. They also condemned the Israeli prime minister's aggression towards the Palestinians.
The left-wing Tagammu Party's Progressive Youth Union began a sit-in that is scheduled to end today.
Sunday 21 April
THE BANHA branch of the Bar Association held an "Intifada festival." Three hundred munshidin (singers of religious songs) participated in the festival. According to a statement issued by the syndicate, security forces surrounding the syndicate's headquarters tried to arrest singer Mohamed Naguib but the audience grabbed him from the police car.
The Mass Communication Faculty of October University held a solidarity day with the Palestinians under the title "For you, Jerusalem." The Palestine day activities included a seminar on recent events and a poetry recital.
Monday 22 April
HUNDREDS of students and professors at the American University in Cairo (AUC) went on a silent march for Palestine. At 11am, the crowd gathered carrying Palestinian flags and banners and practiced the slow step for the march. The march then left the main campus for the adjacent Greek campus, crossing Mohamed Mahmoud street amidst heavy security.
Ten professors carrying a banner with "End the occupation now" led the protesters. The AUC faculty march issued a statement demanding full and immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank and Gaza strip, immediate deployment of an international protection force, the establishment of an International Criminal Tribunal for the occupied territories, immediate deployment of UN war crimes investigators to document human rights violations in Palestine, Jenin in particular, and end to all US support of Israel's military industrial complex.
Two hundred professors from various universities across the nation announced that they will present President Hosni Mubarak with a statement on 24 April relating to the killing of a student at Alexandria University on 9 April by anti- riot police. The statement will demand the removal of the interior minister.
Tuesday 23 April
TANTA University students held a rally attended by 3,000 who marched between the university's various faculties, chanting slogans condemning Israel's massacre of hundreds of Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp.
The students carried a photo gallery showing the atrocities committed by Israelis against the Palestinian population. This was followed by a film which contained footage of the Palestinian plight. Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin addressed the rally by telephone from his Gaza headquarters.
The rally issued three resolutions: opening the borders for jihad, cutting off ties with Israel and expelling the Israeli ambassador and supporting the Intifada with fiscal and blood donations in addition to weapons.
Thousands of students demonstrated against Israel and called for jihad in Zagazig and Kafr El- Sheikh universities.
Members of the Egyptian Popular Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian Intifada demonstrated in front of the EU headquarters and presented a written protest "against the silence of the international community towards Israel's massacres of the Palestinian people."
A number of intellectuals and artists began an open-ended sit-in and hunger strike to urge a decisive position in support of the Palestinians and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Cairo.
Recommend this page
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
Send a letter to the Editor