Muslim Brotherhood and Pharaoh Mohammed Morsi

Nadene Goldfoot
Yesterday while we Americans were eating our Thanksgiving dinner, the top leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood denounced Morsi's peace efforts and urged a holy war to "liberate" Palestinian territories, which means all of Israel.

Old Mohammed Badei, General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood,  thinks Israel knows nothing but force, but that is the only deterrent that seems to stop such a group as the Muslim Brotherhood; that and baksheesh  or money.    He's all for Jihad and said it's an obligation.  All Muslims are to "back their brothers in Palestine and supply them."

That is exactly what Iran keeps on doing.  An Iranian 150 ton freighter named "Cargo Star" left Bandar Abbas port on Sunday, November 18th with a load of 220 short-range missiles and 50 improved long-range Fajar-5 rockets for Gaza.  These Fajars are newer with longer range capabilities than what was recently used.  they have a 200-kilo warhead and the others were 175 kilos.  It is 85 km or about 53 miles from Gaza to Tel Aviv.

Iran is adamant about the fact that they are bankrolling Palestinian terrorists and will not be letting Morsi be a moderate.  This of course would be running contrary to Tehran's plans and interests of destroying Israel.

Morsi, however, says he will abide by Egypt's 1979 treaty with Israel that Mubarak was following, established by Sadat.  He has quite a challenge of restoring order, solving crises that come up, and restraining the radicals he had helped to brain wash.  He just gave himself greater authority Thursday by neutralizing a judicial system by declaring that the courts are barred from challenging his decisions.  That's helpful.  The public might become very angry over this move, though.  It's not democratic of him.  He says it is necessary to protect the revolution that toppled Mubarak 2 years ago and to become democratic.  The pro-reform leader, Mohamed El Baradei wrote on  Twitter,  "Morsi today usurped all state powers & appointed himself Egypt's new pharaoh."  Mass protests have been called for to dissolve his declarations.

Resource: http://www.newsmax.com/newswidget/Muslim-Brotherhood-Israel-cease-fire/2012/11/22/id/465095?promo_code=F53B-1&utm_source=Debka&utm_medium=nmwidget&utm_campaign=widgetphase1
http://www.debka.com/article/22541/Iranian-arms-ship-carries-fresh-improved-Fajar-supplies-for-Gaza
Oregonian Newspaper page A 10,  Egypt's Morsi grants himself broad powers , AP by Hamza Hendawi

Found: Weapons for Gazans on Iranian Ship Off Israel's Coast
Nadene Goldfoot
Israel took over the ship,  Victoria, originating in Iran some 200 nautical miles off of Israel's coast that was bound for Gaza.  It was connected to the Iranian ship that went through the Suez Canal a few weeks ago.  They found about  50 tons of weapons on board.  Chinese-made C-704 anti-ship missiles were found which would have threatened Israeli installations and navy vessels.  The Iranian ships had docked in Syria two weeks ago and then containers were loaded with these weapons.  Many 60 and 120 mm mortar shells were also found. 

A Farsi (Iranian) language manual for the missiles was in the cargo, linking Iran to the arms smuggling.  Though Egypt and Turkey were destinations, Israel feels they didn't know about the weapons, but that the recent two ships that went through the Suez Canal were connected. 

Rear Admiral Rani Ben Yehuda of Israel said it's important to inspect ships in accordance with international law.  This attempt to smuggle arms shows the need for inspections. 

In our newspaper carrying the story from Washington Post-Bloomberg-the reporter had to interject the wording of "what officials alleged was a ship carrying Iranian weapons".  I guess the fact that they did find such weapons and took pictures of them is not good enough for their readers. 

Next to the article was another with a picture about the Gazan Palestinians who are Hamas supporters in a rally calling for the melding of the two Palestinian groups, Hamas and Fatah.  Thousands were calling out to their leaders to end their feud.  That's quite scary to me as Hamas is overtly violent and is calling for the destruction of Israel.  Their charter doesn't allow any acceptance of Israel.  I wonder if they are feeling emboldened after the massacre of the Fogal family in Itamar, now.  It took two attemps for Abbas to make a public statement about that not being an acceptable act while Hamas, feeling such a bloody act was justified, was celebrating it with candy and rejoicing. 

Resource: http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/Articlelayout/CdaArticlePrintPreeview/1,2506,L-404
Oregonian Newspaper p. A4: Israeli says weapons carrier seized