Egypt's unemployment rate falls in Q2 '25 – CAPMAS    EGP swings vs. USD in early Sunday trade    EGX launches 1st phone app    Egypt achieves record primary budget surplus of EGP 629bn despite sharp fall in Suez Canal revenues    Escalation in Gaza, West Bank as Israeli strikes continue amid mounting international criticism    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Resumption of production at El Nasr marks strategic step towards localising automotive industry: El-Shimy    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, UNDP discuss outcomes of joint projects, future environmental cooperation    United Bank achieves EGP 1.51bn net profit in H1 2025, up 26.9% year-on-year    After Putin summit, Trump says peace deal is best way to end Ukraine war    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Jordan condemns Israeli PM remarks on 'Greater Israel'    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, bilateral ties in calls with Saudi, South African counterparts    Egypt prepares to tackle seasonal air pollution in Nile Delta    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt, Colombia discuss medical support for Palestinians injured in Gaza    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt's govt. issues licensing controls for used cooking oil activities    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Egypt's Sisi: Egypt is gateway for aid to Gaza, not displacement    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Monday''s papers: Islamists politicize Eid celebrations
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 07 - 11 - 2011

Islamist political parties dominated Eid al-Adha prayers across Egypt Sunday, promoting their parliamentary candidates by distributing gifts and fliers and using sermons to persuade voters, according to reports in local papers on Monday.
Leading headlines of all newspapers Monday reflect how politics are the defining aspect of the holiday this year, the first Eid since the revolution, and coincidently falling three weeks before parliamentary elections. Privately owned Al-Shorouk's front page headline sums it up: “Parties' Eid prayers for God's sake, and that of voters.”
According to Al-Shorouk's follow-up story, headlined “Politics jostle religion in Eid prayers,” Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi candidates competed in distributing presents and posters to adults and children alike in Upper Egypt's Qena Stadium, where 5000 congregated to pray.
“The Eid prayer's sermon urged people to vote for the Brotherhood's and Salafis' candidates, in order to reform what the old regime destroyed and eradicate corruption,” reports Al-Shorouk.
Fayoum witnessed a similar competition between religious parties, with other parties from across the spectrum absent, according to Al-Shorouk.
And in Alexandria, the Brotherhood and Salafis converted the major mosques into stages for their campaigns.
“While the role of other political forces' candidates was limited to street banners in their constituencies and the sending of text messages, Islamists exploited Eid prayers to fuel people's emotions by promising them an imminent Islamic caliphate,” explains Al-Shorouk.
State-owned Al-Ahram goes with “Politics dominate Eid prayers” as its front page-leading headline. Egypt's flagship daily reports that in Helwan, the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party ran a prize raffle that included an Umra trip and sheep with the party's logo stamped on their heads. They made all participants fill out forms confirming their names and contact information.
The same electioneering could be found in Ismailia and Sharqiya governorates, where thousands of Brotherhood members marched in the streets after dawn calling for people to attend Eid prayers, reports Al-Ahram.
On a different note, Al-Ahram reports on planned US-Israeli joint military exercises to simulate Israel's missile defense system. Five thousand Israeli and American forces will carry out the maneuvers, said Andrew Shapiro, US assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs.
Al-Ahram cites Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which quotes an official at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealing that the agency's report on Iran, due to be released in the coming days, proves that Tehran has recently carried out nuclear weapon tests in violation of international conventions.
A prominent Israeli official said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are currently mobilizing the majority of the Israeli cabinet that supports a military operation against Iran, reports Al-Ahram.
State-owned Al-Akhbar conducts an exclusive interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in which he denies that Iran possesses a nuclear bomb.
“Iran is only keen to obtain nuclear technology to use it for peaceful purposes, in abidance with the international nuclear nonproliferation agreement that we've signed,” Ahmadinejad said.
On the subject of US mobilization of world powers against Iran, the Iranian president said, “Americans wish to destroy Iran, but they can't, and everyone should know that throughout history, no enemy has been able to achieve its goals against Iran.”
Ahmadinejad added that Iran “loves Egypt and its people,” and that he will visit Egypt whenever he is officially invited by Egyptian authorities.
Privately owned Al-Tahrir reports that a number of constitutional experts from the Egyptian Bloc, National Association for Change and Wafd Party have prepared amendments to articles 5, 9 and 10 of the supra-constitutional principles document currently being championed by Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmy.
In the amendments to articles 5 and 9, the need for the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' (SCAF) “approval” of laws regarding the armed forces is replaced by a directive for the government to “consult” with the council.
In Article 10, the experts suggest expanding Egypt's National Defense Council to include heads of the People's Assembly, Shura Council, Supreme Constitutional Court, Central Auditing Organization and Armed Forces to determine the national military budget, with parliament being responsible for its approval, reports Al-Tahrir.


Clic here to read the story from its source.