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Egyptian Women Protest U.S. Jerusalem Bill, Threats to Iraq

"Palestinian, avenge yourself," shouted Egyptian women as they unfurled banners reading “Jerusalem is Arab land”

CAIRO, October 3 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Some 60 Egyptian women gathered in front of the U.S. embassy in Cairo Thursday, October 3, to condemn the U.S. bill identifying occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and Washington’s continued threats of war on Iraq.

"Down, down U.S.A," chanted the demonstrators who assembled around 50 meters from the embassy in central Cairo, responding to a call issued by several feminist movements, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

"Palestinian, avenge yourself ... Baghdad, we haven't forgotten you, all the Arab peoples are ready to sacrifice for you," the women protestors shouted.

Egypt's official MENA news agency said a delegation of demonstrators conveyed a message to the embassy protesting the recently signed U.S. bill demanding the U.S. embassy in Israel be moved from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem.

Police deployed massively around the embassy but did not intervene, as the demonstration broke up peacefully.

Egypt has seen over the past few days several demonstrations, mainly on university campuses, to mark the second anniversary of the Palestinian Intifada or uprising against Israeli occupation.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on Wednesday, October 2, expressed Egypt's "deep regret" over a U.S. law demanding the American embassy in Israel be moved from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem.

"We deeply regret the adoption of this bill, especially in the current circumstances, this measures comes as a encouragement to Israel," Maher told reporters.

Egypt calls on the U.S. Congress and administration to "exert pressure on Israel to implement international resolutions, instead of giving it a kind of a reward that is unacceptable in the current circumstances," the minister said.

Maher said Arab states would discuss the "measures they have to take to underline their refusal of anything that could harm [the status of] occupied Jerusalem."

He said Lebanese Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hamoud, whose country currently chairs the 22-member Arab League, had contacted him over the new U.S. law.

Arab League chief Amr Mussa also dismissed the U.S. congressional move as a violation of U.N. resolutions.

Along with many other countries, the United States has its embassy in Israel in Tel Aviv, considering that Arab East Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed, is considered by Palestinians as the capital of their future state.

The Israeli annexation of Arab east Jerusalem has never been recognized by the international community and Washington has consistently held that the city's status must be negotiated by the Israelis and Palestinians in the context of a final peace deal.