The front page of Thursday's state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper, features a report on President Hosni Mubarak's phone call to Hany Helal, head of the Egyptian pilgrimage mission, to follow up on the condition of Egyptian Hajj participants after violent storms on Wednesday caused havoc in Mina. Mubarak pledged full medical support and other assistance to allow the pilgrims to complete their Manasek Hajj. In other news, the front pages of independent papers Al-Dostour and Al-Shorouk share identical reports on America's re-ignited pressure on Egypt to accept international monitoring during its 28 November parliamentary elections. Former US ambassador to Cairo, Edward Walker, at a recent seminar organized by Voice of America (VOA), said the “Egyptian government is in need of more transparency,” according to Al-Shorouk. Secretary General of National Democratic Party, Safwat al-Sherif, has categorically dismissed such calls. According to Thursday's papers, the US has called on Egypt to grant every candidate the right to launch an electoral campaign, allow peaceful political gatherings and open media coverage for both Egyptian and foreign reporters. “Egypt and all Middle East countries are passing through an important transitional phase,” Al-Shorouk quotes former ambassador Walker. In related developments, head of the media office at the Egyptian embassy in Washington, Karim Hagag, said international monitoring is not popular among Egyptians. “Opposition parties have refused it even more than the Egyptian government,” he said. Despite admitting there were some problems during 2005 parliamentary elections, Hagag said the upcoming polls will be supervised by 300 people from different civil society organizations and covered by Egyptian media and 400 foreign reporters. Al-Shorouk bears the front-page headline: “New security crackdowns for Brotherhoods.” According to the report, “137 Muslim Brotherhood (MB) members from 17 governorates have been detained within two days because of elections.” Security sources said that detained members were released after a two-day detention period. The Brotherhood slate totals 135 candidates, while the NDP is fielding 800 candidates for the 503 contestable seats. An MB lawyer said the government has arrested two members from Qena and 5 members of the group in Aswan for distributing religious pamphlets in mosques after Eid prayers. In addition, heavy security measures were imposed at Fayoum's police station for fear of clashes between security forces and MB supporters. The article also states that another eight Brotherhood members in Shoubra al-Kheima were detained while organizing a demonstration in support of Brotherhood candidates. According to the paper, police officers constructed a cordon around more than 800 marches, preventing them from participation. In other news, Al-Dostour features a report on Israel's withdrawal from the northern sector of the village of Ghajar in Lebanon, which has been occupied by Israeli troops since the 2006 war with Hezbollah. The papers says Israeli cabinet ministers voted in favor of withdrawal but the specific date will be determined after talks with UN officials. Hezbollah welcomed the Israeli announcement, while encouraging withdrawal from other territories that straddle the Lebanese border. “We call for Israel's withdrawal not only from Ghajar, but also from Shaba Farms area and Kafrshouba hills,” Al-Dostour quotes foreign relations chief of Hezbollah Amr Mussawi. The Hezbollah member also demanded a halt to aggressive military operations against Lebanese civilians. Egypt's papers: Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size Al-Gomhorriya: Daily, state-run Rose el-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party's Policies Secretariat Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party Youm7: Weekly, privately owned Sawt el-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
