Egyptian Political Parties Discuss Boycotting Elections, Fate of Anan

Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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Egyptian Political Parties Discuss Boycotting Elections, Fate of Anan

Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Members of the presidential campaign of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi count boxes containing his new presidential candidacy papers at the National Election Authority in Cairo, Egypt, January 24, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Political parties and Egyptian figures, belonging to the opposition Democratic Alliance, will hold an emergency meeting on Saturday to take a unified stance from the presidential elections scheduled for end of March.

Democratic Alliance officials told Asharq Al-Awsat that “they will discuss several topics, including boycotting the elections and the fate of Sami Anan who is undergoing a military investigation after expressing willingness to take part in the elections.”

The gatherers are expected to include members of the Constitution Party, which has been established by Mohamed ElBaradei, and the Dignity Party as well as the Egyptian Popular Current.

So far only President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has officially submitted his application to run for a second four-year term. He is expected to enjoy sweeping victory.

Parliament deputy speaker and prominent figure in the nationalist liberal Wafd Party Suleiman Wahdan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the party’s higher council was mulling to propose a presidential candidate.

Egyptian Member of Parliament Mustafa Bakri confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that several candidates will run in the elections.

Head of the Supreme Media Regulatory Council Makram Mohamed Ahmed expected the same scenario.

Parliamentarian Mortada Mansour stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that “Sisi needs a second term because four years are not enough.”

Egyptian Politician Mostafa El-Feki stated to the newspaper that the majority of Egyptians want to grant Sisi a new term to proceed with what he has already started, regardless of any democratic considerations.

Feki attributed the absence of real competition to several issues including “the weakness of parties in Egypt.”

In his turn, Ambassador Massoum Marzouk revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that participants in Saturday’s meeting are expected to announce a boycott of the elections so that Sisi fails to get the required five percent.

Another suggestion is to cast a no vote.

The electoral commission stressed in a statement on Thursday that it stands at equal distance from all candidates and acts impartially based on the constitution.



Israeli Settlers Accused of Killing 117 Sheep in West Bank Attack

Palestinians checks wounded sheep after settlers attack a Bedouin community in the Jordan valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ali Sawafta
Palestinians checks wounded sheep after settlers attack a Bedouin community in the Jordan valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ali Sawafta
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Israeli Settlers Accused of Killing 117 Sheep in West Bank Attack

Palestinians checks wounded sheep after settlers attack a Bedouin community in the Jordan valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ali Sawafta
Palestinians checks wounded sheep after settlers attack a Bedouin community in the Jordan valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ali Sawafta

Palestinian Bedouins accused Israeli settlers on Friday of killing 117 sheep in an overnight attack and stealing hundreds of others in an apparent effort to chase farmers off their land in the occupied West Bank.

The incident comes amid what the United Nations described this week as intensifying attacks by Jewish settlers and security forces against Palestinians in the West Bank and record mass displacements, according to Reuters.

The Israeli army did not respond to a request for comment about the mass slaughter of the animals belonging to the Arab al-Kaabaneh Bedouin community, in the Jordan Valley.

Veterinarians were called in to treat a handful of sheep which had survived the knife and gun attack, some of the animals shaking uncontrollably and in apparent shock.

Salem Salman Mujahed, a resident of Arab al-Kaabaneh, said multiple groups of settlers working in coordination had orchestrated the assault, and accused the army of standing by.

"(Settlers) came near the houses. I asked them what are you doing here then we started fighting with each other," he said. "The army detained me, and they handcuffed me."

He said other groups of settlers then attacked the sheep, which are vital to his community's survival.

Palestinian Minister Moayad Shaaban condemned the incident, calling it part of a broader strategy to displace Palestinians from the region.

"These sheep and animals were slaughtered and shot at," he told Reuters. "They are using these tools to terrify these people to leave these areas, which have been inhabited for dozens of years."

MOVING AWAY

The attack prompted at least one family to begin relocating.

Bedouin Tareq Kaabaneh said he could no longer withstand what he called settler intimidation.

"They were armed, they steal donkeys and sheep. In the night they come here and start shooting toward us," Kaabaneh said.

"I am moving now from here, I want to protect my kids and my sheep, my livelihood ... yesterday I was safe, but I don't know what will happen to me tomorrow," he added.

The United Nations reported this week that mass displacements in the West Bank had reached levels unprecedented since Israel first took military control of the territory nearly six decades ago.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva also said there had been 757 settler attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January - a 13% increase from the same period last year.

At least 964 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Over the same period, 53 Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians or in armed clashes.

The US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee demanded this week a full investigation into the killing of a Palestinian American who was beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank on July 11, describing it as a "criminal and terrorist act".

The United Nations' highest court said last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, was illegal and should end as soon as possible.

Israel disputes this, citing security needs as well as historical and biblical ties to the land, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The West Bank is among the territories Palestinians seek for an independent state.