Channels

The chaos at the parliament

Egyptian MP attacked with shoe for dining with Israeli envoy

After hosting Israel's Ambassador to Cairo Haim Koren in his home, Tawfiq Okasha is met with anger in parliament with over 100 lawmakers signing petition demanding investigation of his actions.

CAIRO - Egyptian lawmaker Tawfiq Okasha was attacked in parliament on Sunday, with one colleague hurling a shoe at him and others demanding he be suspended after he invited the Israeli ambassador for dinner.

 

 

Egypt was the first of a handful of Arab countries to recognize Israel with a United States-sponsored 1979 peace accord, but Egyptian attitudes to the country's neighbor remain icy.

 

Israel has an ambassador stationed in Cairo but Egyptian officials make a point of keeping their distance and the embassy has been the focal point of protests in the past.

 

Chaos at the Egyptian parliament over Tawfiq Okasha

Chaos at the Egyptian parliament over Tawfiq Okasha

סגורסגור

שליחה לחבר

 הקלידו את הקוד המוצג
תמונה חדשה

שלח
הסרטון נשלח לחברך

סגורסגור

הטמעת הסרטון באתר שלך

 קוד להטמעה:

 

Okasha, a television presenter and lawmaker known for courting controversy, hosted the Israeli ambassador Haim Koren for dinner at his home in the northeastern Dakahlia province last week. He made the invitation live on his television show.

 

The move sparked outrage in the media and in Egypt's parliament, sworn in last month, with several lawmakers demanding Okasha be dismissed from parliament and one colleague, Kamal Ahmed, hurling his shoe during the session in a fit of anger.

 

Chaos at the Egyptian parliament over Okasha.
Chaos at the Egyptian parliament over Okasha.

 

The speaker threw both Ahmed and Okasha out of the session, which was adjourned for 10 minutes, according to the parliament website and the MENA news agency.

 

Over 100 parliament members have also signed a statement seen by Reuters rejecting normalization of ties with Israel and demanding an investigation into Okasha's actions.

 

Okasha told local media before the opening of Sunday's session that he had done nothing wrong since Egypt enjoys full diplomatic relations with Israel.

 

Koren confirmed to Reuters that he and his staff had a three-hour dinner meeting at the Egyptian lawmaker's home on Wednesday evening.

 

Koren in Okasha's home.
Koren in Okasha's home.

 

"He proposed the meeting, at which he raised ideas of us helping Egypt in the areas of water, agriculture and education - to try to set up a number of schools with Israeli training," Koren told Reuters by telephone.

 

"I offered to work on putting this together, and that we meet again. I will soon be inviting him over to our place. He showed great courage. He knew he would be attacked, and nonetheless he stood firm on his convictions."

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.28.16, 15:55
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment