CAIRO: Clashes erupted at the People s Assembly Sunday between members affiliated with the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Saad Aboud, of Al-Karama opposition party, as they discussed the Ministry of Interior s role in obstructing an aid convoy to Gaza. Verbal as well as physical assaults were exchanged between the NDP members and Aboud. Shortly after, opposition and independent members filed 21 requests to the PA, condemning the ministry s assault of MPs who organized the convoy to help Palestinians trapped in Gaza during Eid Al-Adha. The 21 requests were transferred to the Arab Affairs committee to be discussed this week. Meanwhile, the PA s committee of Defense and National Security discussed two investigation requests filed by Abdel Hamid Zaghloul and Ismail Tharwat Abdel Fattah, PA committee members affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), pertaining to what they claim is police abuse of power against Egyptian citizens. Abdel Fattah, an MP representing Minya governorate, told Daily News Egypt that the investigation requests came at the same time the aid convoy organizers were assaulted by police. He cited the murder of a woman in Samalout - a district in Minya - allegedly at the hands of police officials who raided her house in search of her brother in law. Abdel Fattah claims the pregnant woman was beaten to death. Abdel Fattah pointed out that while most police officers have no respect for human rights, some do not resort to assaults and violations. Abdel Fattah added that there are constitutional laws in Egypt that prohibit and condemn officials from insulting citizens; however those laws are never implemented . we are not asking for new rules, we just want the existing ones to be implemented. Last Thursday, police arrested 64 Muslim Brotherhood members for organizing protests against the siege of Gaza. The arrests were made during dawn raids in Alexandria, the Suez Canal town of Ismailia and other governorates in the Nile Delta, after the group organized events across the country showing solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly those facing the deadly siege in Gaza.
