Egypt's opposition partly to blame

Leader of the Ghad el-Thawra party, Ayman Nour Cairo - Akram Ali    Leader of the Ghad el-Thawra party, Ayman Nour, has blamed both the Muslim Brotherhood and the National Salvation Front [NSF] for ongoing political unrest in Egypt, as violent clashes which began on January 25 have left more than 50 Egyptians dead and hundreds more injured. Interviewed by Arabstoday, Nour said that all factions across the political spectrum should be blamed for high tensions and ongoing violence across the country. "The Muslim Brotherhood committed extremely serious mistakes,” the leader said. “The most serious of them is their failure in making a true political partnership with other political parties. The Brotherhood has always dealt with others with total disregard.” "Sadly, President Morsi has been insisting on making the same major mistake since he took office," Nour added. Referring to the opposition's share of responsibility for the current situation, Nour claimed “their hatred for the Brotherhood has overshadowedd their love for Egypt.” The NSF “turned a political rivalry into a tussle based on hatred,” Nour added. The Ghad el-Thawra leader claimed that the Front, Egypt’s largest opposition coalition consisting of left-wing and centrist parties, actually represents “just a minority” of Egypt’s opposition. "They blame the Brotherhood for being arrogant,” he said. “But they are demonstrating exactly the same attitude.” Turning to the recent clashes outside Cairo’s Ittihadiya presidential palace, Nour condemned “any violence” from the protesters, adding that violence "has nothing to do with the peaceful protests that defined the Egyptian revolution." However, Nour was careful to also blame security forces, following a video showing eight policemen stripping and beating 48-year-old Hamada Saber on Friday night, describing it as "an unprecedented violation that nobody imagined could happen in Egypt after the revolution." "The Interior Minister must be sacked immediately for his responsibility,” he added. Nour concluded by praising the al-Azhar Charter, which aims to stop violence on the streets. "I wish all the political parties would give priority to the national interests of the country over their political ambitions," Nour said.