Egyptians protesting against Islamists, Gazans - and, of course, Israel

Ma'an reports:

Sinai tribes say they repeatedly warned the Egyptian government about a jihadi threat in the peninsula, before Sunday's attack which left 16 Egyptian police officers dead.

"Military intervention came late after we warned the Egyptian authorities about extremism and terrorism in Sinai, especially after the revolution," Sheikh Khalaf al-Maniei, from the Al-Sawarka tribe said Monday.

A deputy from the al-Fawakhreyeh tribe, Abed al-Hamid Salmi, told Ma'an's correspondent that Sinai tribes had met Egyptian intelligence officials on Monday.

"We know that there are Israeli plans to re-occupy parts of the Sinai as Israeli authorities seek to protect its state from terrorism," Salmi said.

"This might happen if the Egyptian army fails in fighting terrorism in the Sinai which will lead Israel to legitimately control all the way between Sinai and el-Arish. Therefore, we warned the Egyptian security from such plans, and we will protest, and will plan for a public uprising, as well as closing the Rafah crossing," he added.

Such protests are already happening, according to Palestine Press Agency:

A resident of Sheikh Zuwaid who refused to be named told the Agency: the people of El Arish and Sheikh Zuwaid and Rafah, forced the Palestinians since yesterday to return to their homes and beat them.

Egyptian news sites said that protesters torched tires, yesterday, on the 'Arish Rafah' road east of Sheikh Zuwaid, in protest at the lack of deployment of police so far in the Sheikh Zuwaid and Rafah areas since January 28 last year.

The protestors demanded the closure of tunnels under the border, and the opening of the Rafah crossing in for commercial traffic and the prosecution of law breakers.

But one protest was inevitable:

Dozens of members from Youth for Freedom and Justice, the April 6 Youth movement, and Kefaya, The Egyptian Movement for Change, organized a march to the home of the Israeli Ambassador in Maadi to protest the killing of 16 security officers near the Egyptian-Israeli border on Sunday afternoon.

The protesters called for the expulsion of the Ambassador and to punish those who perpetrated or colluded in the attack.

Officials from Egypt and Israel said the attackers belonged to extremist Islamist groups in Sinai, but Islamist politicians and observers in Egypt said they suspect that Israel was behind the incident.

The protesters chanted slogans against Israel and raised black banners that read "in mourning."

Because despite decades of Muslims killing other Muslims by the millions, it is always easier to blame the Jews.

UPDATE: Video of the anti-Israel protest:



At 1:20 they say "ya safir al khanazir" which means "the [Israeli] ambassador is a pig".

At 2:00 they chant "Khaybar Khaybar ya Yahūd, jaysh Muḥammad saya‘ūd which translates to "Khaybar, Khaybar o Jews, the army of Muhammad will return".

(h/t Yoel)