Learn about the history of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, equality and justice by exploring major events in the history of their oppression on this day of the year.
31 January
ISRAELI TERROR CELL LEADERS HANGED IN CAIRO
On this date in 1955 Dr. Moshe Marzouk and Shmuel Azar were executed in Cairo, after being convicted of sabotage and spying for Israel in the notorious Lavon Affair. Israel worked to damage Egyptian relations with the USA and Britain, and discredit the new government headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser. The Israeli terrorist cell burned down a post office in Alexandria, planted explosives in American libraries in Alexandria and Cairo, and attempted arson attacks on crowded cinemas in Cairo.
اعدام قادة خلايا الإرهاب الإسرائيلي شنقا في القاهرة
31 يناير
في هذا اليوم من العام 1955م تم تنفيذ حكم الإعدام في كل من موشي مرزوق وشمويل عازر في القاهرة، بعد إدانتهما بالتخريب والتجسس لإسرائيل في عملية لافون سيئة الصيت. وقد سعت إسرائيل لتخريب العلاقات المصرية مع كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وبريطانيا، وتشويه سمعة الحكومة الجديدة بقيادة جمال عبد الناصر. علما بأن الخلية الإرهابية الإسرائيلية قامت بحرق أحد مكاتب البريد في الاسكندرية وزرعت متفجرات في المكتبات الأمريكية في الاسكندرية والقاهرة وحاولت القيام بهجمات حرائق على دور السينما المكتظة بالناس في القاهرة.
The Lavon Affair: Terrorism to Coerce the West in "Israel's Sacred Terrorism" by Livia Rokach
"ONE: Start immediate action to prevent or postpone Anglo-Egyptian Agreement. Objectives are: one, cultural and information centers; two, economic institutions; three, cars of British representatives and other Britons; four, whichever target whose sabotage could bring about a worsening of diplomatic relations.
TWO. Inform us on possibilities of action in Canal Zone.
THREE. Listen to us every day at 7 o'clock on wavelength G.
"This coded cable was sent to the Israeli spy ring which had been planted in Egypt many months before it was activated in July 1954. The ring originally was to serve as a fifth column during the next war. The cable was preceded by oral instructions given by Colonel Benjamin Givii, head of Israel's military intelligence, to an officer headed for Cairo to join the ring. These instructions were:
"[Our goal is] to break the West's confidence in the existing [Egyptian] regime .... The actions should cause arrests, demonstrations, and expressions of revenge. The Israeli origin should be totally covered while attention should be shifted to any other possible factor. The purpose is to prevent economic and military aid from the West to Egypt. The choice of the precise objectives to be sabotaged will be left to the men on the spot, who should evaluate the possible consequences of each action ... in terms of creating commotion and public disorders.
"These orders were carried out between July 2 and July 27, 1954, by the network which was composed of about ten Egyptian Jews under the command of Israeli agents. Negotiations were at their height between Cairo and London for the evacuation of the Canal Zone, and between Cairo and Washington for arms supplies and other aid in connection with a possible U.S.-Egyptian alliance. British and American cultural and informational centers, British-owned cinemas, but also Egyptian public buildings (such as post offices) were bombed in Cairo and Alexandria. Suspicion was shifted to the Muslim Brothers, opponents of Nasser's regime. The Israeli ring was finally discovered and broken up on July 27, when one of its members was caught after a bomb exploded in his pocket in Alexandria."
Marzouk, Azar Executed in Cairo on Charges of Spying for Israel
"...members of the ring worked to sabotage Egyptian relations with Western states, particularly the United States and Britain, and discredit Egypt's new government, headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser.
The spy ring carried out various acts, including burning down a post office in Alexandria, planting explosives in American libraries in Alexandria and Cairo, and attempted arson of movie theaters in Cairo. Apparently, the idea was to dupe Western powers into thinking Nasser was unable to control anti-Western militant groups in his own country.
A day before the hangings, prayers and public meetings on behalf of Marzouk and Azar were held in Israel. Haaretz reported that "Tel Aviv staged yesterday a powerful demonstration against the legal murder the Egyptians are committing against two Jewish 'Zionist spies' who have been condemned to execution."
It proved difficult to find anyone prepared to accept blame for the failed false-flag terror plot. In 1955, Minister of Defense Pinhas Lavon who, blaming Shimon Peres, denied any foreknowledge of the entire operation, was forced to resign. However, a second Israeli Board of Inquiry in 1960 cleared Lavon, determining that perjury had been committed during the first.
An Israeli stamp was issued to honour the leader of the terrorist cell.