Egyptian Unrest
• The Times of Israel, Haaretz, Reuters, Al-Ahram, Al-Arabiya, The Guardian, and NY Times are all posting live updates. See also this collection of tweeting Associated Press journalists and NPR’s Andy Carvin.
• Army sources explained their road map of governing to Reuters:
Egypt’s armed forces would suspend the constitution and dissolve an Islamist-dominated parliament under a draft political roadmap to be pursued if Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and his opponents fail to reach a power-sharing agreement by Wednesday, military sources said . . .
The sources said the military intended to install an interim council, composed mainly of civilians from different political groups and experienced technocrats, to run the country until an amended constitution was drafted within months.
• Reuters also reports that Morsi’s appearance at a June rally supporting jihad in Syria was the last straw for Egyptian military leaders:
For the army, the Syria rally had crossed “a national security red line” by encouraging Egyptians to fight abroad, risking creating a new generation of jihadists . . .
• Haaretz: The staff of what serves as Israel’s embassy in Cairo is safely waiting out the demonstrations in Israel. The US and Canadian embassies in the City of a Thousand Minarets are also closed.
• If you’re wondering why Morsi’s so isolated, the Wall St. Journal (via Google News) lays out why soured onetime supporters are abandoning him.
• Nice background timeline: Key events in Egypt’s revolution and upheaval.
• The Wall St. Journal and Time look at the limits of US influence on Egypt. So does the Washington Post, which sums up why the White House can only hold its nose at the upheaval’s two possible outcomes:
Those calling for the dismissal of Morsi say the United States became too cozy with the Muslim Brotherhood, the political and social movement that brought the Islamist leader to power. The Brotherhood, meanwhile, warns that the United States is failing to speak out loudly and clearly against a military coup in the making.
• Warning: Reading all this commentary/analysis in front of your computer will make your eyes glow in the dark like me. See YNet, Israel HaYom, the Times of Israel, Fouad Ajami (Wall St. Journal via Google News), Karl Vick, Ed Husain, Jeffrey Goldberg, Asharq al-Awsat, Foreign Affairs, CNN, and a Washington Post staff-ed. Read ’em all in one shot. I dare you.
Rest O’ the Roundup
• Today’s Zaman: Turkish Deputy Prime Minister denies blaming Jews and media for country’s unrest. Besir Atalay says he was misquoted and taken out of context. Nevertheless, Reuters reports that Turkey’s Jews are worried:
The Turkish Jewish Community, which represents most of Turkey’s estimated 23,000 Jewish faithful, said Atalay’s remarks could lead to reprisals against its members in a mostly Muslim country of 76 million.
Here’s a video of Atalay making what I presume are the comments in question. If anyone understands Turkish, share your thoughts with the rest of us.
• A solid majority of Israelis surveyed (71 percent) feel that apologizing to Turkey for the Mavi Marmara was a mistake. Hurriyet was on hand for an illuminating panel discussion on Israeli-Turkish ties. Hurriyet columnist Serkan Demirtas expanded on the issue.
• Hezbollah commander in Syria to The Daily Beast:
“What we are doing in Syria in some ways is a dress rehearsal for Israel,” he says.
• I’m trying to square this Miami Herald report with the adage that “all politics is local.” Is it worth my time?
• Facebook use falls in Israel. Globes looks at which sites Israelis are most visiting.
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream.
(Image of Egyptian protest via YouTube/WSJDigitalNetwork)
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