GAZA: Cleric OKs killing of Egyptians

Palestinian cleric issued a fatwa condoning the killing of Egyptian forces if they prevent Gazans fleeing the Israeli siege from crossing into Egypt. Needless to say, it has elicited quite a stir in Egypt, according to a news report in the Egyptian al-Masry al-Youm daily. 

The Grand Sheik of Cairo's Al-Azhar mosque, Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi, dismissed the fatwa as divisive. It came as the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza has driven Palestinians towards the Egyptian border.

Egypt has begun stepping up security measures for fear that its border would be breached again by Gazans. 

In January, hundreds of thousands of Gazans broke through the Egyptian border after Hamas militants blew open the wall leading to Egypt.

Egypt is in a tough position. The violence at its doorstep is putting its national security in jeopardy.

Deadly violence erupted Wednesday between Hamas militants and Israel, leaving three Israeli soldiers and at least 20 Palestinians dead The latest confrontations are expected to halt Egyptian efforts aimed at mediating a cease-fire between the two parties. 

“There can be no discussion of a truce in the midst of these crimes,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri reportedly said.

—Noha El-Hennawy in Beirut

Photo: Palestinian children take part in a protest against the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip at the Rafah border point between Egypt and Gaza on April 10, 2008. Credit: SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[James]

Arabs everywhere are supporting the extremist Arabs bent on spreading their religion through murder and intimidation. Hamas, Hizbollah and the Iranian Ayatollahs must be defeated in order for moderate Arabs to be able to stop supporting radical murderous terrorists. Saudi and Iranian fundamentalists have a lot of money to cow Arabs and even Europeans (France has 8% Moslem population).

[Joe]

How could you try to point out Carter's shortcomings as a president when the current president has done what no president in history has ever done to the country: economy, unemployment, health care, social security, foreign policy, education, innocent killings of hundreds of thousands of people over money and greed, and you want to talk about high mortgage rates? Have you not been following the housing market lately, most of those companies that were offering high rates back then are on the verge of going out of business now. Its time to wake up, for being one of the most educated people in the world we can sure be ignorant blind followers at times, Carter is trying to do what a real commander in chief should do: talk to the democratically elected leaders that he helped put in place to achieve peace.

[Joe]

This information is absurd and clearly misquoted. What is the name of the cleric that issued this religious verdict and what are his qualifications? How can an article appear in the LA times without proof or references. Just because a man expresses his opinion it doesn't mean we ride with it, and advertise it as being the view point of the Palestinian people. As a journalist, collecting authentic accurate information is key, rather than reporting word of mouth.

[zahwa]

I totally agree with the above. The West has developed into a very soft society following the mantra that a losser is the winner.
Regretable the person who start it all Carter is meeting with Hamas. it is amazing how much damage a one dillusional president ( 18% mortgage rate, terrible economy and world wide experties such Iran is sea of stability said 2 days before the revolution) can bring on this world.

[Big Daddy]

It seems to me that the party that is constantly and consistantly stirring up fights (fatwas) with others are the Palestinians... They simply want to fight everyone... Jews, Americans, Egyptians, Jordianians, etc. if they don't get their way... AND these are the Rag-Tag'est lot in the world... and they are starting fights??? It is like the smallest kid on the playground running around and punching all the biggest kids on the block...! The solution would be simple to me... the same way the bigger kids would handle that: BEAT the little rag-tags into complete and total submission.... NO HOLDS barred beating! That is the only COMPLETE solution to this problem... Totally CRUSH Hammas.... Just like we would have done in WWII... NO mercy! IF you are in the way and do not yield completely... you parish... NO MORE GAMES with these ignorant inbread dirt bags!