Egypt's Maher assaulted in Jerusalem

Reuters ^ | Mon 22 December, 2003

[TexKat]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher has collapsed after being assaulted by a crowd of Palestinians as he entered the al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, witnesses say.

Witnesses earlier said it appeared Maher had been physically beaten but later said he was accosted and jostled and possibly struck one or two times, causing him to fall to the ground.

"A group of Palestinian extremists started shouting at Maher and calling him a traitor and collaborator and then they were trying to reach him but guards (nearby) prevented them," a mosque guard who witnessed the incident old Reuters on Monday.

"And then he fell unconscious," the guard said.

Israel's ambulance service said Maher was in good condition after being treated for shortness of breath by medics at the scene, but one member of his entourage was taken to hospital for treatment.

A foreign ministry spokesman said Maher, who had just completed talks on Middle East peace issues with Israeli leaders, was accosted while going into the mosque in the compound known as al Haram al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) to Muslims and the Temple Mount to Jews.

"We don't think he is seriously hurt. We don't know the nature of the attack but (it happened after) he and his entourage was surrounded by a huge crowd of Muslim worshippers...." the spokesman said.

[af_vet_1981]

Witnesses earlier said it appeared Maher had been physically beaten but later said he was accosted and jostled and possibly struck one or two times, causing him to fall to the ground.

"A group of Palestinian extremists started shouting at Maher and calling him a traitor and collaborator and then they were trying to reach him but guards (nearby) prevented them," a mosque guard who witnessed the incident old Reuters on Monday.

"And then he fell unconscious," the guard said.

Let me translate the ArabSpeak.

The palestian mob assaulted him. He collapsed and was taken to a hospital. They don't want to be blamed for assaulting the Egyptian FM so they will blame the Jews.

[Sender]

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you" must not be a Palestinian nursery rhyme.

[af_vet_1981]

Based on an agreement between Israeli security services and the Egyptian delegation, there were no Israeli security guards present on the Temple Mount during Maher's visit. The Israeli guards entered the holy site only after the assault on Maher began, Channel 1 reported.

[SwinneySwitch]

Religion of peace alert!

He would have been safer in a church or synagoge.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[SJackson]

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you" must not be a Palestinian nursery rhyme.

No, but never say they don't exercise common sense.

It appears that Israeli security agents remained outside the mosque as was requested and were not at the minister’s side when he was attacked.

[TexKat]

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said that if Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon respected the US-backed roadmap he wouldn't need to take unilateral measures against the Palestinians.(AFP/MENA/File/Moataz El-Hamalawy)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher urged Israel to work towards securing a truce to end the quagmire of violence plaguing the Middle East.(AFP/File/Ramzi Haidar)

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites), left, meets Egyptian foreign affairs minister Ahmed Maher in Sharon's office in Jerusalem Monday Dec 22, 2003. Egypt sent its foreign minister to Israel Monday for the first time in two years for talks with Sharon and other high-level Israelis to push for renewed talks with the Palestinians on the road map, Egyptian officials said.(AP Photo/Amit Shabi)

Masked supporters of the Islamic group Hamas hold mock rockets as they destroy a model of an Israeli prison, during a demonstration to mark the 16th anniversary of the founding of the group at the university of the West Bank town of Hebron Monday Dec. 22, 2003. Visiting Israel for the first time in more than two years, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said Monday that he was very optimistic that the cease-fire talks with the Palestinian factions would be successful and that the road map can be revived. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher screams as he is assaulted by Palestinians while praying in Jerusalem's Old City December 22, 2003. Witnesses said he fell unconscious after the attack but Israel's ambulance service said he was in good condition after being taken to hospital for treatment. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, center, is whisked out of the al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem's Old City by bodyguards Monday Dec. 22, 2003. According to witnesses, Muslim extremists shouted at him and tried to assault him as he tried to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, center, is carried out of the al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City by bodyguards Monday Dec. 22, 2003. According to witnesses, Muslim extremists shouted at him and tried to assault him as he tried to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

[Salvey]

Assaults in "holy sites"? That's S.O.P. for these animals.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher has collapsed after being assaulted by a crowd of Palestinians as he entered the al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, witnesses say.

In other words: he was Fisked. :)

[Sender]

I believe that any Jew or Christian entering a holy mosque is considered a Very Bad Thing by Muslims, correct? Is there any other religion in the world that says the temple is defiled by 'unbelievers'? In Christianity, the biggest mission is getting unbelievers into the temple, in Islam it appears to be keeping them out.

[expatpat]

The problem was that he wasn't muslim -- Maher is clearly an Irish christian.

[WackyKat]

I believe that any Jew or Christian entering a holy mosque is considered a Very Bad Thing by Muslims, correct

Not correct at all.

It is true that only Muslims are allowed to enter Mecca.

[VOA]

Muslims-loving-Muslims bump!

[Sender]

Isn't the al-Aqsa mosque off-limits to Jews and Christians? Wasn't that what started the intifada, when Sharon merely visited the Temple Mount, not even the mosque proper?

[Phsstpok]

It is true that only Muslims are allowed to enter Mecca.

The Baha'i faith has a prophesy that the Muslims will do something to make them the most hated people on Earth. Nuke Jerusalem? The Vatican?

If that happens watch for Mecca to be the only place Mulsims are allowed to exist, with barbed wire and big guns surrounding a death line around that cursed city.

They seem to want to return to the "glory days" of the 7th century. So be it. To misquote Halsey, "Arabic will only be spoken in hell and Mecca."

[Ax]

You're exactly right, WackyKat. On the road to Makkah (as Mecca is spelled on the road signs) there is a "toll plaza," for lack of a better term. It is manned by Saudi soldiers, and there is a sign in English, saying that only Moslems are permitted entry; each car is checked to make sure that there are no civilized people attempting to gain entry. One wonders what sort of nefarious activities are afoot.

[Norman Conquest]

Too bad we can't hand over America's Maher (Bill) and have him beaten silly.

[Catspaw]

Foreign Minister Maher looks scared fecesless after having Palies scream in his face. I bet he was terrified that he'd be blown up by them, like so many Israelis.