This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Egypt’s lawyers threaten strikes and legal action against Morsi


Anti-Morsi demonstrations in Tahrir Square on Friday (Reuters)

Egypt’s government, which had begun to appear more stable in recentmonths, is now in a state of total chaos, after president MohamedMorsi issued his decree on Thursday giving himself full dictatorshippower that can’t even by challenged by the courts. On Saturday,different groups of judges held separate extraordinary meetings andassemblies, either supporting or condemning Morsi. Hundreds of judgesat the general assembly for the Judges’ Club at the High Courtdiscussed measures to oppose Morsi, and have called for strikes inAlexandria and other cities. However, the reform judges caucusMorsi’s opponents want to reinstate the old regime of Hosni Mubarak.Al-Ahram (Cairo)

Hamas says it’s OK to smuggle weapons into Gaza again

A spokesman for Hamas is saying that it’s untrue that that theEgyptian-brokered cease-fire agreement signed by Hamas and Israel onWednesday forbids the importation of more weapons. He was commentingon reports that claimed special US army units would be deployed alongthe border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt to stop the flow ofweapons to Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups.

And indeed, I posted the full text of the agreement a couple of days ago, and itsays absolutely nothing about forbidding Hamas from importingmore weapons and missiles.

However, an Israeli official pointed out that a White Housestatement that followed the agreement does imply militaryhelp from America in blocking weapons smuggling into Gaza.

Here is Wednesday’s White House statement:

“Readout of the President’s Call to Prime MinisterNetanyahu

President Obama spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu today andreiterated his commitment to Israel’s security.

The President made clear that no country can be expected totolerate rocket attacks against civilians.

The President expressed his appreciation for the Prime Minister’sefforts to work with the new Egyptian government to achieve asustainable ceasefire and a more durable solution to this problem.

The President commended the Prime Minister for agreeing to theEgyptian ceasefire proposal – which the President recommended thePrime Minster do – while reiterating that Israel maintains theright to defend itself.

The President said that the United States would use theopportunity offered by a ceasefire to intensify efforts to helpIsrael address its security needs, especially the issue of thesmuggling of weapons and explosives into Gaza.

The President said that he was committed to seeking additionalfunding for Iron Dome and other US-Israel missile defenseprograms.”

The next-to-last paragraph says that America will help prevent weaponssmuggling, without saying how. Does this imply that the presidentoffered military help in preventing weapons smuggling? If not, thenwhat kind of help was intended? Jerusalem Post and White House

Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail