[This is a collection of news updates on Egypt compiled from multiple sources by the editors.]
Morsi Detention Renewed For Murder Charges
The prosecutor general extended former President Mohamed Morsi’s detention on Monday for fifteen more days, pending investigations into charges of murder and attempted murder related to clashes in November 2012 that claimed eleven lives.
Violent clashes were ignited between pro-and anti-Morsi forces when opposition protesters marched to the Ettehadiya Presidential Palace to protest against the 22 November Constitutional Declaration that granted Morsi unprecedented powers, and Muslim Brotherhood supporters allegedly attacked them.
After having been detained for three weeks without charges following his removal from power on 3 July, Morsi was served with his first detention order of fifteen days, pending investigation into charges of collaboration with Hamas.
The prosecutor general ordered that Morsi’s new detention period begin as soon as the first one expires.
[This article originally appeared on Mada Masr.]
Arabs Ready to Cover Cuts in Foreign Aid to Egypt: Saudi
Arab and Muslim nations are rich and will not hesitate to help Egypt, Saudi FM Prince Saud Al-Faisal says in a statement.
Saudi Arabia said on Monday that Arab and Islamic countries will step in to help Egypt if Western nations cut aid packages to Cairo over a crackdown on Islamist protesters.
"To those who have announced they are cutting their aid to Egypt, or threatening to do that, (we say that) Arab and Muslim nations are rich... and will not hesitate to help Egypt," Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.
Prince Saud was speaking upon his return from France, where he held talks with President Francois Hollande, who strongly condemned violence in Egypt.
Hundreds of people have been killed in the North African country since security forces began a clampdown on Muslim Brotherhood protests last week.
US Senator John McCain called on Washington to suspend its 1.3 US billion dollars in annual aid to Egypt`s military after it overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July.
But some US lawmakers have expressed concern that cutting off aid could endanger the peace treaty with Israel or compromise US privileges with regard to the Suez Canal.
Foreign ministers of the European Union are to hold emergency talks on Wednesday to review the bloc`s relations with Cairo.
At stake is nearly five billion euros (6.7 US billion dollars) in loans and grants promised by the world`s top aid donor to Egypt for 2012-2013. It includes one billion euros from the EU with the rest from European banks the EIB and EBRD.
[This article originally appeared on Ahram Online.]
Jordan PM Urges Egypt Army To Remain `Firm`
Jordan FM Nasser Judeh said on Friday that Amman backed Egypt`s efforts `to combat terrorism`.
Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Nsur on Monday urged Egypt`s military to remain "firm" despite condemnation of a crackdown on Islamist protesters, saying the fate of the country was at stake.
"Jordan`s position towards what is happening in Egypt seeks to support the state. The Egyptian state must not melt or erode or turn into a failed country," Nsur told a news conference.
"If the Egyptian army goes, Egypt goes. The army must remain firm and strong."
On Friday, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Jordan backed Egypt`s efforts "to combat terrorism and attempts to meddle in its affairs," while calling for Arab and Islamic support.
Nsur`s remarks came after militants killed twenty-five Egyptian policemen in the Sinai Peninsula in the deadliest attack of its kind in years.
Egypt is struggling to put a lid on a deep political crisis and violence that has killed almost eight hundred people in several days of clashes between Islamists and security forces across the country.
The bloodshed in the Arab world`s most populous country follows a popularly backed military interference that toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July.
[This article originally appeared on Ahram Online.]
UK Cancels Military Cooperation with Egypt, Germany May Follow
The United Kingdom has suspended its military cooperation with Egypt, and canceled several weapons agreements as a punitive measure against deadly state crackdowns on Muslim Brotherhood protesters, reported the state-run Middle East News Agency on Monday.
In statements to the BBC, Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague asserted that while the UK has taken a strong stance on recent events, these measures were not permanent and would be revised as the situation progressed.
Britain’s influence on Egypt in the coming years would be limited as it is a politically independent state, and the UK would continue to support dialog and democracy in Egypt, Hague continued.
Also on Monday, Germany announced plans to revise its military cooperation with Egypt in the midst of increasingly deadly violence sweeping across the country, the Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported.
Germany had previously announced that it would reconsider its twenty-five million euros worth of developmental aid to the country.
Foreign nations began issuing statements of condemnation and adopting punitive measures against Egypt last week, when two major sit-ins demanding former President Mohamed Morsi’s reinstatement were violently dispersed by state security forces. As of Thursday night, at least 638 had been killed in the events, according to the Health Ministry. Since then, the death toll has continued to rise as Brotherhood supporters, civilians, and police and army forces have clashed across the country.
On Thursday, the United States canceled its joint Bright Star military training with Egypt, and Denmark suspended its developmental aid to the country. The European Union announced in a statement on Sunday that it would review its relationship with Egypt.
[This article originally appeared on Mada Masr.]
EU Condemns all violence in Egypt, encourages political solution: Leon
All options are open for Egypt to be discussed in Wednesday foreign ministers` meeting, says European Union Special Representative for the Southern Mediterranean Bernardino Leon.
EU Special Representative for the Southern Mediterranean Bernardino Leon stresses all options will be open during the foreign ministers` meeting planned for Wednesday.
Leon emphasized the European Union`s preference towards political solutions and excluded the idea of sanctions.
“The [Egyptian] government has a special responsibility but the violence has been from both sides,” he said adding at a press briefing, adding that the EU has a clear stance against recent attacks on Coptic churches and government buildings.
“Violence from both sides has to stop," he stressed.
“We [the EU] still think that there are democratic forces left and we will try to address them and keep working with them constructively,” Leon affirmed saying that although Egypt is in a difficult spot, the EU wishes to remain a constructive actor promoting a political solution, while still taking a stand against violence.
“Egypt is a key partner...probably the most important partner in the Mediterranean...it is absolutely important not only for Egypt but for the whole region and for Europe’s foreign relations to be engaged constructively in Egypt,” he stressed.
Security forces have clamped down on the Muslim Brotherhood and their supporters, who are trying to reinstate Mohamed Morsi into presidency, which the military deposed on 3 July after mass nationwide protests for his ouster.
Over six hundred were killed when police forces dispersed two main pro-Morsi sit-ins that were protesting what they call the "military coup" against the Brotherhood-fielded president. Hundreds have been arrested and several accused of inciting violence.
Meanwhile, Coptic churches, government buildings, police and fire stations have been systematically attacked.
On Sunday, thirty-eight pro-Morsi protesters were killed as they were being transported to prison. The interior ministry released a statement saying they died when armed men attacked the car trying to help the prisoners escape and clashes ensued.
Later on Sunday, twenty-four conscripts were stopped on their way home from Sinai where they were stationed and shot by militants. Violence between Islamic militants and security forces in Sinai has been escalating since Morsi’s ouster. The Muslim Brotherhood released a statement condemning the attack.
The military has repeatedly made statements demanding Egyptians support it in its “war on terrorism.”
[This article originally appeared on Ahram Online.]