Hosni Mubarak

CAIRO, Egypt -- The massive video screen towering over a busy Cairo intersection plays an endless loop of President Hosni Mubarak's greatest triumphs: surveying reclaimed desert farmland, inaugurating Cairo's subway system, presiding over the repatriation of the final piece of Israeli-captured Sinai Peninsula land.At the end, the message flashes: "Yes to Mubarak!"Across the street, a man waiting for the bus rolls his eyes and mutters, "And what if we said `No'? Who would we even say no to?"

Al Eisner, in his letter, "Egyptian election is tragic" (June 29), has substituted opinion for fact when he calls the Muslim Brotherhood "a virulent anti-Semitic organization. " Anti-Zionist, yes; but he provides no evidence whatsoever that it is anti-Semitic. Mr. Eisner shows no compassion for the Egyptian people who suffered for so many years under the brutal dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. Instead, his concern is only for Israel and what Egypt's new government might mean for Egyptian/Israel relations and also for U.S./Israel relations.

CAIRO, Egypt - When Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, comes to Washington this week, he will undoubtedly deliver the same message chanted like a mantra by Egyptian officials in this capital city - the United States' blind support of Israel is dangerously unhelpful in the abiding war with the Palestinians; putting Iraq in the "axis of evil" and threatening an attack on Saddam Hussein only make matters worse in the Middle East. The Egyptian media are saturated with reports on the daily bloodshed in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories that describe Palestinian suicide attackers as "martyrs" and their acts as "sacrifices."

Egypt has sought and found accountability for Hosni Mubarak's many crimes ("Life sentence against Egypt's Mubarak caps fall from war hero to convict," June 2). While this is cause for celebration in Egypt, it raises a disturbing contrast with how we handle similar matters in the U.S. We, too, have a living head of state who committed grave crimes. As president,George W. Bushlaunched a war of aggression based on deceit. Mr. Bush's illegal war inflicted death on hundreds of thousands and injury on millions.

Be a 4Kids DetectiveWhen you know the answers to these questions, go to http://www.4Kids.org/detectives/4 How fast could the Wright 1909 Military Flyer go?Where was President Hosni Mubarak born?Which president flew in the Douglas VC-54C?The Pyramid PresidentsWith more than 60 million people, ancient history and world-famous landmarks, Egypt remains a land of excitement and mystery. Now you can explore the politics of this unique nation at the Egyptian Presidency Homepage. Walk through the desert to http://www.

Al Eisner, in his letter, "Egyptian election is tragic" (June 29), has substituted opinion for fact when he calls the Muslim Brotherhood "a virulent anti-Semitic organization. " Anti-Zionist, yes; but he provides no evidence whatsoever that it is anti-Semitic. Mr. Eisner shows no compassion for the Egyptian people who suffered for so many years under the brutal dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. Instead, his concern is only for Israel and what Egypt's new government might mean for Egyptian/Israel relations and also for U.S./Israel relations.

Egypt has sought and found accountability for Hosni Mubarak's many crimes ("Life sentence against Egypt's Mubarak caps fall from war hero to convict," June 2). While this is cause for celebration in Egypt, it raises a disturbing contrast with how we handle similar matters in the U.S. We, too, have a living head of state who committed grave crimes. As president,George W. Bushlaunched a war of aggression based on deceit. Mr. Bush's illegal war inflicted death on hundreds of thousands and injury on millions.

CAIRO, Egypt - Stung by criticism at home and abroad of their commitment to democracy, Egypt's leaders are taking an unusual tack in a country unaccustomed to dissent: They are publicly defending themselves. In rare back-to-back news appearances yesterday, Egypt's prime minister and the son of longtime President Hosni Mubarak took pains to convey that the world's largest Arab country is making progress toward free elections and an open society. "The situation is changing, and changing for the better," said Gamal Mubarak, who holds a top post in the ruling party.

CAIRO, Egypt - Dozens of protesters were kicked, beaten with clubs and thrown into trucks yesterday by hundreds of police and plainclothes agents who rushed the streets to stifle a protest against President Hosni Mubarak. The beatings occurred in Cairo days after Mubarak announced his candidacy in Egypt's first presidential election. The regime has portrayed September's voting as a ground-breaking step toward democracy. It would be the first time that Egyptians have had a chance to chose a president from among multiple candidates.

CAIRO, Egypt -- A state security court convicted an Israeli Arab of espionage yesterday and sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor, deepening the rift in relations between Israel and Egypt.Azam Azam, a technician at a garment factory that was one of the few Israeli-Egyptian joint ventures in Egypt, had been accused in a plot to recruit an Egyptian textile worker as an economic spy for Israel. His fate is now in the hands of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who under Egypt's emergency laws has the power to set aside the verdict against Azam, the first Israeli ever to be convicted of spying against Egypt.

CAIRO, Egypt - Dozens of protesters were kicked, beaten with clubs and thrown into trucks yesterday by hundreds of police and plainclothes agents who rushed the streets to stifle a protest against President Hosni Mubarak. The beatings occurred in Cairo days after Mubarak announced his candidacy in Egypt's first presidential election. The regime has portrayed September's voting as a ground-breaking step toward democracy. It would be the first time that Egyptians have had a chance to chose a president from among multiple candidates.

THE TERRORIST attacks in London last week overshadowed a killing in Iraq that was carried out by like-minded people intent on a similar purpose. Ihab al-Sherif, an Egyptian diplomat named to be Cairo's ambassador to Iraq, was murdered - beheaded, his captors proudly claimed - after being kidnapped days earlier. He is but one of hundreds killed in the ruthless insurgency seething through parts of Iraq. The insurgents' systematic attacks primarily focus on civilians and supporters of the U.S.-led occupation; witness Sunday's carnage at an Iraqi military recruiting station where 21 people were killed and at least 34 others wounded.

CAIRO, Egypt - Stung by criticism at home and abroad of their commitment to democracy, Egypt's leaders are taking an unusual tack in a country unaccustomed to dissent: They are publicly defending themselves. In rare back-to-back news appearances yesterday, Egypt's prime minister and the son of longtime President Hosni Mubarak took pains to convey that the world's largest Arab country is making progress toward free elections and an open society. "The situation is changing, and changing for the better," said Gamal Mubarak, who holds a top post in the ruling party.

WHEN EGYPT'S president, Hosni Mubarak, visited Washington recently, he used his White House press conference to stress what was new about the peace overture by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah. "This is the first time in the history of the Saudis that they say, `We are ready to normalize relations with Israel, in case a peace prevails,'" said Mr. Mubarak. "We should underline this." Mr. Mubarak emphasized that when the leader of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, says in English, and in Arabic to his own press, that he is ready, in exchange for a total Israeli withdrawal, to have a "full normalization of relations" with the Jewish state - meaning trade, tourism and embassies - that is noteworthy, and is what caused all the buzz.

CAIRO, Egypt - When Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, comes to Washington this week, he will undoubtedly deliver the same message chanted like a mantra by Egyptian officials in this capital city - the United States' blind support of Israel is dangerously unhelpful in the abiding war with the Palestinians; putting Iraq in the "axis of evil" and threatening an attack on Saddam Hussein only make matters worse in the Middle East. The Egyptian media are saturated with reports on the daily bloodshed in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories that describe Palestinian suicide attackers as "martyrs" and their acts as "sacrifices."

CAIRO, Egypt -- The massive video screen towering over a busy Cairo intersection plays an endless loop of President Hosni Mubarak's greatest triumphs: surveying reclaimed desert farmland, inaugurating Cairo's subway system, presiding over the repatriation of the final piece of Israeli-captured Sinai Peninsula land.At the end, the message flashes: "Yes to Mubarak!"Across the street, a man waiting for the bus rolls his eyes and mutters, "And what if we said `No'? Who would we even say no to?"

JIDDA, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia announced yesterday that it would support Egypt's offer to end the 43-year-old Arab boycott of Israel if the Jewish state would halt construction of settlements in the occupied territories.The move by the Saudis, perhaps the most influential participants in the boycott, came during a visit to Jidda by Secretary of State James A. Baker III. Just hours earlier, Lebanon announced that it would join Syria in supporting President Bush's proposal for an Arab-Israeli peace conference.

THE TERRORIST attacks in London last week overshadowed a killing in Iraq that was carried out by like-minded people intent on a similar purpose. Ihab al-Sherif, an Egyptian diplomat named to be Cairo's ambassador to Iraq, was murdered - beheaded, his captors proudly claimed - after being kidnapped days earlier. He is but one of hundreds killed in the ruthless insurgency seething through parts of Iraq. The insurgents' systematic attacks primarily focus on civilians and supporters of the U.S.-led occupation; witness Sunday's carnage at an Iraqi military recruiting station where 21 people were killed and at least 34 others wounded.

Be a 4Kids DetectiveWhen you know the answers to these questions, go to http://www.4Kids.org/detectives/4 How fast could the Wright 1909 Military Flyer go?Where was President Hosni Mubarak born?Which president flew in the Douglas VC-54C?The Pyramid PresidentsWith more than 60 million people, ancient history and world-famous landmarks, Egypt remains a land of excitement and mystery. Now you can explore the politics of this unique nation at the Egyptian Presidency Homepage. Walk through the desert to http://www.

CAIRO, Egypt -- A state security court convicted an Israeli Arab of espionage yesterday and sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor, deepening the rift in relations between Israel and Egypt.Azam Azam, a technician at a garment factory that was one of the few Israeli-Egyptian joint ventures in Egypt, had been accused in a plot to recruit an Egyptian textile worker as an economic spy for Israel. His fate is now in the hands of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who under Egypt's emergency laws has the power to set aside the verdict against Azam, the first Israeli ever to be convicted of spying against Egypt.