Angry demonstrations were held yesterday to criticize the Israeli aggression on Gaza. As a result, most streets in downtown Cairo were closed and traffic was snarled. Security forces prevented al-Tagammu and the Nasserist parties as well as the Revolutionary Socialists from staging a peaceful demonstration from el-Tagammu party's headquarters in downtown Cairo to the Arab League. The protesters wanted to hand a memo to the Arab foreign ministers during their summit, which was being held to discuss the situation in Gaza. As a result, the protesters were compelled to stage their demonstrations in front of their parties' headquarters amid tight security measures. They criticized the Israeli massacres in Gaza and the Arab regimes' failure to act. They also clashed with security forces while chanting slogans in support of the Palestinians. Dozens were arrested, including five journalists who were covering the events. Some left-wing activists were also arrested and when Al-Masry Al-Youm went o the press, it was still impossible to have any information about them as their mobiles were always off. Meanwhile, the local councils of Cairo and Ismailia Governorates issued two statements to criticize Israel's "criminal actions" against the Palestinians, while Ismailia and South Sinai Governors Abdel Galil el-Fakhrani and Mohamed Hany slammed Hezbollah Secretary General for his declarations against Egypt. In the meantime, hundreds of members of the syndicates of doctors and teachers in the governorates of Assiut, Gharbia, Damietta and Suez staged demonstrations to criticize Israel's massacres in the Gaza Strip and the raids on Rafah on the Palestinian-Egyptian borders. Ain Shams, Beni Suef and Menia Universities distributed statements to condemn and protest against Israel's aggression and brutal actions.
