World
Egypt faces scrutiny in US after Senator Menendez’s bribery indictment
Washington, DC – The corruption charges against top United States Senator Bob Menendez could have been dreamt up by a Hollywood writer: They involve gold bars, envelopes stuffed with cash and a luxury car.
However, for many of Menendez’s colleagues in Congress, as well as rights advocates, the case is far more consequential than its movie-like intrigue.
Menendez is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for using his elected position to benefit the Egyptian government. But the allegations raise questions about the broader ties between the US and Egypt — a relationship that has been under scrutiny amid human rights concerns.
“This is not just an issue of one corrupt person. It is an issue of a problematic relationship that is not founded on the ideals and values of respect to democracy and human rights,” said Nancy Okail, president of the Center for International Policy, a US-based think tank.
Rights groups have accused Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s government, which came to power in a 2013 military coup, of jailing tens of thousands of dissidents and outlawing virtually all political opposition.
El-Sisi’s administration has denied accusations of rights abuses while stressing the need to maintain stability in the country. But in Washington, calls for rethinking ties with Cairo have been growing — especially after last month’s indictment.
“This should spark a long overdue reassessment of the bilateral relationship between the US and Egypt,” Okail told Al Jazeera.
Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The charges
Formerly, in his role as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez had massive influence over US foreign policy. He stepped down from the role on September 22, the day the indictment against him was released.
Federal prosecutors allege that Menendez and his wife illegally accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from three businessmen in return for using his “official position to protect and enrich them and to benefit the Government of Egypt”.
According to the indictment, Menendez met with Egyptian officials and promised to facilitate arms sales to Cairo. He also provided associates with “highly sensitive” information — including details about US Embassy personnel in Cairo — which was then relayed to Egyptian officials.
Mai El-Sadany, executive director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), a Washington, DC-based think tank, said the allegations are “extremely serious” and unprecedented.
“They indicate collusion with Egyptian military and security officials. They indicate interference on the part of Egyptian officials into policymaking. And they indicate that Egypt was using illegal tactics to influence our foreign policy,” El-Sadany told Al Jazeera.
Still, the response from the administration of US President Joe Biden has been muted. Officials have mostly refused to weigh in on the allegations against Menendez, citing the ongoing status of the legal proceedings.
Asked about the issue last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would not comment on an “active” legal matter.
“The administration should be furious at the Egyptian regime,” said Seth Binder, director of advocacy at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED), a rights group. “This is supposed to be a strategic partner, a close partner of the United States.”
Binder added that the Biden administration could sanction Egyptian officials involved in the case, restrict military aid to Cairo or impose penalties for broader human rights abuses in Egypt.
But for now, there is no sign of that happening. In Congress, though, many Democrats are demanding more scrutiny of Washington’s partnership with Cairo.
Sen. Menendez should resign and there should be a full policy review of our relationship (including security assistance) with Egypt and investigation into potential foreign influence campaign.
— Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) September 26, 2023
Don Beyer, a Democratic congressman, called on the US to “note and respond forcefully to the covert Egyptian campaign to thwart American foreign policy aims detailed in the indictment”.
For his part, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also said that the Foreign Relations Committee has a “responsibility” to understand what happened — and the extent to which Egypt was involved.
“There are serious implications for US policy towards Egypt if — as the indictment suggests — they were trying to use illicit means to curry favour on the committee,” he told reporters last month.
‘Hold’ on aid
On Saturday, statements turned into action as Senator Ben Cardin, who replaced Menendez as committee chair, placed a “hold” on $235m in aid to Egypt.
Cardin cited Egypt’s human rights record in a statement announcing the pause. But his move underscored the power his predecessor had over Washington policy in relation to Cairo.
“Congress has been clear, through the law, that the government of Egypt’s record on a range of critical human rights issues, good governance, and the rule of law must improve if our bilateral relationship is to be sustained,” Cardin said in a statement.
“Therefore, I will not allow foreign military financing currently under consideration to move forward.”
He also pledged to block future aid and arms sales to Egypt if its government “does not take meaningful and sustainable steps to improve the human rights conditions in its country”.
Earlier this year, US lawmakers had placed human rights conditions on $320m of the $1.3bn that Cairo receives annually from Washington.
But Blinken waived the conditions last month on the grounds that the assistance advances US interests, like “counterterrorism” efforts and stability in the Middle East.
The US ultimately withheld only $85min aid to Egypt. In previous years, the Biden administration also overruled conditions lawmakers placed on other parts of the assistance to Egypt.
Binder said the Menendez case played a role in the recent decision to freeze the $235m in aid. He noted that Senator Cardin would not have become the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee were it not for the indictment. “It certainly was a factor,” he told Al Jazeera.
It is unclear what will happen to the suspended funds now.
“We are continuing to consult closely with Congress and the Egyptian government on providing the foreign military financing package announced by the Secretary that advances our shared vision for a secure and prosperous region while ensuring tangible progress on human rights in Egypt,” a State Department spokesperson told Al Jazeera in an email.
The Egyptian embassy in Washington did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment by the time of publication.
‘Status quo thinking’
Biden came into office in 2021, promising to centre human rights in US foreign policy. In fact, as a candidate in 2020, he specifically slammed his predecessor Donald Trump for maintaining close ties with President el-Sisi.
“No more blank checks for Trump’s ‘favorite dictator’,” he wrote in a social media post at that time, referring to the Egyptian president.
Mohamed Amashah is finally home after 486 days in Egyptian prison for holding a protest sign. Arresting, torturing, and exiling activists like Sarah Hegazy and Mohamed Soltan or threatening their families is unacceptable. No more blank checks for Trump’s “favorite dictator.” https://t.co/RtZkbGh6ik
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 12, 2020
Observers say rights violations in Egypt have continued in recent years, and some advocacy groups fear the abuses may intensify ahead of a presidential vote at the end of the year.
But since taking office, Biden has bolstered the alliance with Egypt, inaugurating a formal joint strategic dialogue and economic commission with the country.
Moreover, US officials often laud Egypt and praise its role in mediating ceasefires between Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza.
El-Sadany, of TIMPE, blamed what she called “status quo thinking” in the US foreign policy establishment for Washington’s apparent unwillingness to adjust its posture towards Cairo.
“There is an incorrect assumption that if we shake the relationship with Egypt, and Egypt doesn’t receive the aid in full, that it will somehow upset the relationship with Israel,” she told Al Jazeera.
“But the reality is that Egypt acts in its own interests and that actually, this Egyptian regime is quite close to Israel, with the US aid or without it.”
World
Trump FBI pick Kash Patel clears Senate panel, headed for confirmation vote
World
Russia claims Trump, Putin talk brought world from 'brink of Apocalypse,' EU warns of 'dirty tricks'
Russia’s deputy chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, on Thursday claimed that the recent discussion held between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin brought the world back from the “brink of the Apocalypse.”
“It just so happened at some point that the U.S. appointed itself the country-in-chief on our planet with the exclusive right to wage a hybrid war against our people, to mete out justice and grant pardons. It was a grave mistake, which nearly wiped humanity off the face of the earth,” he said, without mentioning that the West united behind Ukraine against Russia after Moscow launched the biggest invasion of a European nation since World War II.
“This is a lesson that must be learned by the arrogant American elites and the so-called deep state,” he continued. “The quicker our adversaries realize this, the better.
“If they don’t… the Doomsday Clock will keep on ticking towards midnight,” he added, threatening nuclear escalation.
UKRAINE ADVOCATES TEAR INTO HEGSETH FOR GIVING RUSSIA ‘CONCESSIONS’ AT START OF PEACE TALKS: ‘BIGGEST GIFT’
Trump once again prompted geopolitical shock waves following his Wednesday call with Putin when he said in a Truth Social post that peace talks will start “immediately” – comments that came just hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said it was unrealistic that Ukraine would be allowed to join the NATO alliance.
European leaders were quick to react with concern to comments from both Washington and Moscow, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who told Fox News Digital, “It’s not wise to surrender Russia’s key demands before the negotiations even start.”
“Any peace agreement requires the full involvement of both the Europeans and the Ukrainians to succeed,” she continued. “Quick fixes are just dirty deals.
“Putin only responds to strength. Ukraine is resisting Russia’s invasion, and they have our full support. A bad deal for Ukraine is a bad deal for America and will embolden China,” Kallas said.
Kallas’ comments came after she met with NATO defense ministers, who similarly came out in support of Ukraine and issued warnings to Washington.
Lithuania Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said NATO leaders are facing “difficult discussions” with “two obvious choices.”
“Whether we decide to fall under the illusion that Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin are going to find a solution for all of us – and that would be a deadly trap,” she said. “Or we will, as Europe, embrace our own economic, financial and military capacity. And we will be the ones who will be deciding what will happen in Europe and in Ukraine with the United States.”
In addition, Estonia Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur warned, “We have to understand that there will be no peace without Ukraine.
“It cannot be so that someone will come and say when to talk. It has to be Ukraine,” he added.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday said Putin would be “pleased” to welcome international leaders, including Trump, to Moscow in May.
European leaders reacted with apparent concern to Trump’s and the Kremlin’s comments and said there can be no peace agreement without direct EU and Ukrainian involvement.
SOME CRITICS WORRIED TRUMP WOULD HAVE UKRAINE GIVE UP TOO MUCH FOR PEACE AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA
Similarly, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “There can’t be any negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine being at the heart of it.”
Seven European leaders from the U.K., France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and the EU released a joint statement on Wednesday and insisted that they should be part of any negotiations on Ukraine’s future.
“Our shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength,” the statement said. “Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week said he would be willing to exchange the land Ukraine has seized in Russia for the land occupied by Moscow’s troops in its eastern regions.
The Ukrainian president said he also spoke with Trump following his call with Putin on Wednesday about a “lasting, reliable peace.”
World
Hamas says three captives to be released amid ceasefire deal collapse fears
Hamas says it will release captives according to timeline set out in truce after fears agreement would not hold following Israel’s violations.
Hamas says it is committed to the release of captives held in Gaza according to a timeline set out in a ceasefire, days after fears arose that the truce would not hold following Israel’s violation of the agreement.
In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas said it “confirms continuation in implementing the agreement in accordance with what was signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified timetable”.
Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanoua also confirmed to the Anadolu news agency that the group will release captives on Saturday if Israel adheres to the terms of the ceasefire.
“The [Israeli] occupation has violated the agreement multiple times, whether by preventing the return of displaced people or blocking the entry of humanitarian aid,” he said. “If Israel does not adhere to the terms of the agreement, the prisoner exchange process will not take place.”
A Palestinian source quoted by AFP news agency said on Thursday that mediators had obtained from Israel a “promise … to put in place a humanitarian protocol starting from this morning” that would allow construction equipment and temporary housing into the devastated territory.
The Hamas statement added that talks being held this week in Cairo aimed at overcoming an impasse in implementing the deal had been “positive”.
Later on Thursday, Israel said Hamas must release three living captives on Saturday or Israel will return to war.
This week, the agreement with Israel has come under severe strain.
Hamas warned it would delay the next release of captives scheduled for Saturday due to Israel violating the truce by shooting Palestinians in Gaza and not allowing the agreed-upon number of tents, shelters and other vital aid to enter the besieged enclave.
Israel responded by saying that if Hamas failed to free captives according to the schedule, it would resume its war.
Since the ceasefire went into effect on January 19, Israeli forces have killed at least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the ceasefire with mediators Egypt and Qatar.
Egyptian state-linked media said heavy equipment and trucks carrying mobile homes were ready to enter Gaza from Egypt on Thursday. The AFP news agency shared images showing a row of bulldozers on the Egyptian side of the border.
However, Israel later said they would not be allowed to enter through the crossing.
“There is no entry of caravans or heavy equipment into the Gaza Strip, and there is no coordination for this,” Omer Dostri, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote on X, adding: “No goods are allowed to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.”
Hamas has previously accused Israel of holding up the delivery of heavy machinery needed to clear the vast amounts of rubble across the enclave.
United States President Donald Trump had warned this week that “hell” would break loose if Hamas failed to release “all” the remaining captives by noon (10:00 GMT) on Saturday.
If fighting resumes, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said: “The new Gaza war … will not end without the defeat of Hamas and the release of all the hostages.”
“It will also allow the realisation of US President Trump’s vision for Gaza,” he added.
Trump, whose return to the White House has emboldened the Israeli far right, caused a global outcry over his proposal for the US to take over the Gaza Strip and move its 2.3 million residents to Egypt or Jordan.
The Gaza truce, currently in its first phase, has seen Israeli captives released in small groups in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody.
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