Yesterday, I reported that an Egyptian newspaper had published a forged Mossad memo claiming one of its agents had met with Mohammed Morsi the day before he became Egypt’s president. I also reported my suspicions that an Israeli source participated in the hoax since there were a number of aspects of the forgery that required some inside knowledge of both Hebrew and Israeli intelligence matters.
Today, I know why the Egyptian perpetrated the fraud: they sentenced Mohammed Morsi to 20 years in prison. Yesterday’s hijinks were an attempt to smear Morsi the day before they planned to railroad him into prison for twenty years. If this isn’t the most corrupt, ham-handed murderous regime to emerge from the region in, say, the last ten minutes, I don’t know what is.
The news reports riots in Egypt because these idiots can’t manage to stock enough sugar for the population. It’s a wonder these Egyptian commandantes can even find a pot to piss in. No, I’m wrong about that. Since the military junta is stripping the country of all its resources and selling it off to the highest bidder, the thieves can manage to order gold-plated pissoirs.
It’s the poor man (or woman) who has nothing and expects nothing. Because they know who’s running the show. The military showed they would stop at nothing to retain power by massacring innocent civilians in the streets by the thousands. And Pres. Obama, who met the Arab Spring with barely more than a yawn, stood back and watched. Then a little while later he sent Secretary of State Kerry to bless the murderers.
I suspect some Israeli involvement in this forgery. It may’ve been offered officially by an intelligence agency or informally as a favor between friends. Whichever it was, the Israelis are little better than their Egyptian comrades. The only difference is that the Israeli regime has actually conned the electorate to vote them into office, while the generalissimos shot their way into power. But make no mistakes, they are birds of a feather. One a bird of prey and the other a bird who gets its way with stealth and cunning, but manages to be even more brutal in the results of its carnage.
Yesterday, we feted Times of Israel for yet another in a long round of hoaxes and embarrassments, when it published this hoax as if it were true. Today, let’s add another outlet to Hall of Shame: Army Radio (reporter Jackie Hugi) was the originator of the hoax in Israeli media. TOI only followed along and amplified the fraud.
The Army Radio report added that the purported meeting with Morsi was arranged and blessed by American diplomats who attended. A convenient way to smear Morsi with his own supporters, who would be shocked to know that a Muslim Brother would collaborate both with the Israeli Mossad and the Americans. Some idiot in Egyptian intelligence thought this might tamp down the outrage and hate which will result from the announcement of Morsi’s prison sentence. As if Egyptians need reasons to hate their rulers or that a trick like this will abate any of it.
Kudos as well to Walid Majdi of Al Youm al Sabi, who published the original fabricated document and charges against Morsi. He no doubt has been paid well for his efforts. What an embarrassment to the field of journalism to know there are fakers like this who lie to readers with a straight face.
1. The Egyptian regime actually has quite capable Hebrew speakers – they have a top-notch program in Cairo University (and in 8 other institutions) that trains cadres of Hebrew speakers, at quite a high level, for diplomatic and intelligence purposes. Some of the graduates can speak like an Israeli (no accent – or rather an accent that fits into the Israeli norms (e.g. a light “mizrahi” accent)). And many can speak and write at a very high level.
See here –
link to glz.co.il
(And these programs have been running for years – since the 50’s or 60’s).
Just like Israel has academic programs in “oriental studies” (and the US had many Russian programs back in the cold war) – Egypt also devotes some resources to building a Hebrew cadre. (The same is true for Syria and Jordan.. and other entities/groups in the near region).
While Israel may or may not be involved – the level of Hebrew is not an indication in and of itself.
2. Morsi, like Mubarak (under Morsi, then let off with a light sentence so he couldn’t come back to power but would be free (all be it dying) under the new regime), is obviously purged. However this is the nature of just about every Egyptian regime change in modern history. This isn’t a democracy. the “Arab spring” (or winter) brought in islamists bent on enforcing various islamic principles (e.g. women and head covering). The military dictatorships (before and after) – have other goals.
@ lepxii: I think I’d rather not take Israel Army Radio’s word for it that Egypt has such a sophisticated program to teach Israel studies & Hebrew language. Egyptian intelligence is simply inept, brutal & dysfunctional. I refuse to believe it could pull off even a crude hoax like this.
Further, I find it laughable & racist that you consider a Mizrahi style of speaking Hebrew to be an “accent.” Why not an Ashkenazi style being the accent, while Mizrahi is normative?
It is a lie to deny that Egypt was a democracy under Morsi. He was in fact elected democratically. Nor has Morsi been purged in the minds of his followers. Nor have the putchists prevented him or the Brotherhood from returning to power. In fact, it’s virtually guaranteed this will happen again in the future, if not near future. The military butchers will eventually themselves be overthrown.
The Brotherhood had goals like helping the poor and unemployed, providing jobs, building a democracy, etc. The military does indeed have other goals: lining the generals pockets and helping their civilian cronies to the spoils.
I don’t consider “Ashkenazi” to be normative (you would actually stand out with a Yeka accent today – very much so) . I actually don’t consider any accent to be normative – though if you want to talk accuracy – the Yemenites (original immigrants + some 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations usually speak like all the other local born) probably speak the most historically accurate pronunciation (including gimel without dagesh). Young local born Israelis speak with an accent that is a meld that is quite different from the various immigrants (which all spoke/speak with an accent that is often quite recognizable for each country/region).
Hebrew is a young language in terms of a speaking language (due to the language revival some 100 years ago) – it is actually quite interesting to hear the evolution – A local “Tzabar” in his 80s will speak quite differently from a 60, 40, and 20 year old – you can actually hear the evolution in every day life.
The typical North African immigrant (+2nd generation) usually separates Chet and Chaf, and Alpeph and Ayin in a way that is much more exact in relation to other immigrants and to recently locally born Israelies (who tend to conflate the sounds – not separating guttural and frictive).
I wan’t saying light “Mizrahi” wasn’t normative – there are many speakers that speak this way. A local ear simply is able to tell them apart (just as a Russian accent is very noticeable, and so too the original Yeka and Polish accents (which are pretty gone except in old age homes)). “Mizrahi” is also inaccurate – North African, Yemenites, Iraqi, Syria-Lebanon, Persian – all speak/spoke a bit differently (the original immigrants + often the 2nd generation) – which you can tell apart as a listener.
@ lepxii: Why do you think I need any lectures on this subject? Just because we’re not Israeli doesn’t mean we don’t understand language, accents, cultural differentiation, etc. If this helped any readers who might not know this information I feel less annoyed. I believe in educating & informing people if they want to be educated. But I never asked for your course offering.
Your earlier comment seemed to assume that a Mizrahi accent was less than normative. As you didn’t mention an Ashkenazi accent at all, which implied that it was normative. Further, those who speak with a distinct Mizrahi accent face outright discrimination in many ways. Those who speak with an Ashkenazi accent are considered normative and treated with respect.
” I also reported my suspicions that an Israeli source participated in the hoax since there were a number of aspects of the forgery that required some inside knowledge of both Hebrew and Israeli intelligence matters.”
You don’t think Arab intelligence agencies are capable of this forgery without Israelis?
Is this the ‘soft bigotry of low expectations’?
@ Whole Lotta Carlotta: I think Egyptian intelligence is even worse than Israeli. ‘Nuff said.
Egyptian intelligence is so ‘good’ they need to ask Israel to combat Sinai militants on Egyptian soil.
“an attempt to smear Morsi the day before they planned to railroad him into prison for twenty years ”
Morsi had been sentenced to twenty years earlier this year. Yesterday his appeal was finally denied.
Forgery has been going on for hundreds and hundreds of years. Egypt isn’t re-inventing the wheel.
Israel is using it’s drone technology to aid Egypt kill ISIS affiliated terrorists in Sinai. A good thing.
BTW. The Egyptian general who oversaw the destruction of Hamas tunnels into Egypt was gunned down in front of his house yesterday. I wonder who was behind that asassination? Morsi’s Muslim Brothers? Or maybe Hamas? Or maybe a Mossad ‘false flag’ operation.
Do you suspect Mossad too?
@ Whole Lotta Carlotta: It’s NEVER a good thing when a country invades the sovereignty of another country. Especially when the invader is killing citizens of the other.
As for gunning down “generals” known for slaughtering their own citizens, I’ll bet their are 100 reasons for Egyptians to want him dead that would be more important than his role in destroying Gaza tunnels. No doubt, he’s killed his share of Sinai Bedouin militants as part of his “service” to his country. Not to mention others he may’ve been responsible for massacring.
You must have tin foil antennae on yr head! I suspect Mossad of planting you here.😉
I don’t appreciate questions which come across as disingenuous snark.