Opposition in Egypt Calls for a “Million Man March”; U.S. Asks for “Orderly Transition;” Israel Seeks Support for Mubarak

Cairo Protest (arabianbusiness.com)

Opposition to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak continues for the seventh day, with people in the streets asking for his resignation and the country drawing to chaos after prisoners broke out of jails all over the country and are a threat for the public order that can no longer be maintained by the police.

A call for a “million man march” was made on Monday and the march is expected to be carried out on Tuesday, the “Shabab April 6” Movement, which is reported to have made this claim, said.

If it comes to pass, the million man march will add to the already ongoing strike that has been paralyzing the most important services in the country since the commotion started.

Protest in Cairo (blogs.sacbee.com)

Thousands of protesters gathered on Monday in the Tahrir Square, 100,000 according to Al-Jazeera, and gave the military an ultimatum: “Egypt or Mubarak,” thus shifting the focus on the army, which has allowed the people to enter the square, after checking their identity,and maintained a state of neutrality, arresting only the looters of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Al-Jazeera reports that a major in the Egyptian army stressed the army would not fire on the people of Egypt.

The attitude of the army was praised by highly ranked officers of the United States Army.

Mohamed ElBaradei, leader of opposition and likely to take office when Mubarak is no longer president, asked the

Mohamed ElBaradei (therealtimer.com)

president, in the same square, after defying house arrest and joining protest, that the president must leave today (the statement was made on Sunday).

The death toll reached the number of 150 people killed, but even so, president Mubarak is urging the new government to implement reforms, so that the people may calm down and renounce protests.

Al-Jazeera was banned in Egypt, and the English-speaking reports of the channel were arrested by the security forces in Egypt, forcing the channel to appeal to people in Egypt to give them feed by means of blogs, or any other internet way.

It’s Time (arabist.net)

United States, an ally of Egyptian regime, seems to have come to terms with the way the movement is going, and asked for a “orderly transition,” in the words of Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, Haaretz, the Jewish daily newspaper, reports that on Monday the Israeli authorities have pleaded by the U.S., and European officials to support the regime of Mubarak.

According to Haaretz, the foreign minister Avignor Lieberman told diplomats to convince authorities abroad that it is in the interest of the West and the entire Middle East to keep Mubarak in place.

“We must curb public criticism on Mubarak,” the message that was dispatched to the United States, European Union, Russia and China reads.

Spokespersons for the Israeli Foreign Ministry refused to confirm or deny the allegations made by Haaretz.

Officially, Israel has kept a low profile on the matter of Arab turmoil that started in Tunisia and acquired a more profound shape in Egypt.

On Sunday, Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his ministers not to speak of the situation. Anyway, an official quoted by Haaretz said Israel is very unpleased with the comments made by U.S. and EU on the fate of Mubarak.

Mubarak is the strongest ally Egypt has in the Middle East, and with the Muslim Brotherhood being the most important opposition force in the country Israel is naturally concern with the future relation with it.