Events in Gaza precipitate an ill-tempered week of exchanges in the People's Assembly, writes Gamal Essam El-Din Mounting Palestinian casualties in Gaza became the subject of a heated exchange of accusations in the People's Assembly. Speaker Fathi Sorour accused Brotherhood MPs of violating parliamentary rules and using the Israeli onslaught against Gaza to tarnish the image of Egypt on Arab satellite channels, especially Qatari- based Al-Jazeera. Sorour referred Brotherhood MP Ashraf Badreddin to the People's Assembly Ethics committee for questioning after he removed his shoes, climbed onto the members benches and tried to hit Hassan Nashaat El-Qassass, a ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) MP for North Sinai governorate, while chanting anti- government slogans. Brotherhood and independent MPs joined with Badreddin in chanting "Down with Israel". They then walked out of the meeting hall to protest against Sorour's referral of Badreddin, insisting that El-Qassass also be referred for accusing opposition MPs of serving Egypt's enemies. On Sunday Sorour again had cause to reprimand a Muslim Brotherhood MP for removing and raising his shoes in public. Ali Labban had told MPs that "there should be jihad against Israel, not only sacrificing souls and blood but also shoes". Sorour told him there were "better parliamentary means to express anger at the Israeli massacres in Gaza". On Monday Brotherhood MPs acted to contain the fall out from the incidents. Saad El-Katatni, the group's parliamentary spokesman, claimed "Badreddin removed his shoes not to hit El-Qassass but to express his anger with the Zionist enemy". He added that independent MPs respected the government, the assembly and members of the ruling party. To the surprise of many Mahdi Akef, the supreme leader of the outlawed group, entered the fray. "The behaviour of Badreddin and Labban contradicts the Islamic code of good manners," said Akef. "The Brotherhood believes its MPs should strictly abide by the Islamic custom of dialogue and not allow themselves to be distracted from issues that might divide our nation." Brotherhood MPs, meanwhile, continued to press Sorour to refer El-Qassass to the Ethics Committee. El-Katatni told Al-Ahram Weekly : "As much as we condemn Badreddin and Labban's actions we also condemn the false accusations which El-Qassass levelled against the opposition. We believe that the accusations are serious enough to for him to be questioned." The ruling NDP rejected a motion asking that El-Qassass be referred to the Ethics Committee. On Monday Sorour also lashed out at "the eagerness of Brotherhood and leftist MPs to insult the government of their country on foreign television channels". "My advice to those members who oppose so many of the policies of their government is to please come to the People's Assembly and express their opinions as freely as you like rather than tarnishing the image of Egypt on foreign television channels." Sorour accused independent MPs of "chasing personal popularity via satellite television at the expense of Egypt's international standing and interests". Sorour was particularly infuriated with Brotherhood MP Hamdi Hassan's unseemly haste in leaking to Al-Jazeera the details of an interpellation in which he alleges that the government of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif is complicit with Israel in the killing of Palestinians in Gaza. Minister of State for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Moufid Shehab said "Hassan's interpellation embodies the feelings of an irresponsible person." "Accusing the government of complicity with Israel amounts to accusing it of treason," said Shehab, who went on to suggest that "Hassan has seized on the holocaust in Gaza to re-channel his rage against Israel towards the government of his own country." NDP MP Sherine Fouad Abdel-Aziz complained that "some MPs are far too eager to disclose details of their interpellations on television in an attempt to win public favour, running to the studios before parliament has had an opportunity to discuss the very questions out of which they seek to make political gains." Abdel-Aziz told Al-Ahram Weekly that "MPs voicing open criticism of government policies on satellite channels" showed "Egypt's respect for freedom of expression". "I don't think any other Arab government, especially in dictatorial states such as Syria and Libya, would forgive its MPs, or even journalists, criticising their government in open on foreign television channels." But, warned Abdel-Aziz, "freedom of expression does not mean that you level false charges against the government to serve the interests of some anti-Egyptian satellite channels". Hassan defended his position, claiming it was "no crime that a small piece of news, not an open discussion, about my interpellation appeared on an Arab satellite channel". He alleged that the government's refusal to abide by a recent Administrative Court ruling halting the export of natural gas to Israel does indeed suggest complicity with Israel -- or at least a willingness to continue sending it fuel -- when it is killing Palestinians in Gaza. Sorour responded that "the court ruling about gas exports is not final and we must wait until the Supreme Administrative Court delivers a final verdict." Clashes between Brotherhood MPs and Sorour erupted on Saturday during Minister of Health Hatem El-Gabali's review of government efforts in support of Gazans. El-Gabali accused Hamas of blocking Egyptian supplies of food and medicine. "In the first three days of Israeli attacks we appealed to Hamas leaders to let Egyptian doctors and ambulances enter Gaza via the Rafah crossing but they refused out of narrow political interest. Instead they alleged that it was Egypt that was blocking the passage of medicine and food." El-Gabali criticised Arab satellite television channels that "allege Egypt has not done enough to provide medical care and food". "Until 7 January 120 ambulance cars, 175 doctors, 22 hospitals and 2,000 beds were mobilised to provide medical care and help for the Palestinians in Gaza," El-Gabali said. He added that Egypt is currently negotiating with the Red Cross and the Israelis to create secure routes into Gaza.
