Cairo: An Egyptian sports commentator, whose image mistakenly appeared on an Israeli list of wanted Hamas commanders, derided the Israeli security services and threatened to sue them over the blunder.
Israeli media recently showed the picture of Shabana, who is also a member of the Egyptian parliament, apparently instead of the photo of Mohammed Shabana, a commander of Hamas’s military wing Al Qassam Brigades in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.
Israel has displayed the mistaken photo on a card deck along with others featuring wanted Hamas commanders.
The Egyptian journalist said he learnt from his friends that the photo had been released by Israel’s General Security Service Shabak. “This betrays their ignorance. Shabak is supposed to be one of the strongest security agencies in Israel,” he told Egyptian TV channel Al Qahera News.
“But this (blunder) is natural in light of the confusion and bafflement they have shown and the false news they have imparted during the recent events,” he added, referring to an ongoing Israeli war in Gaza triggered by a daring deadly Hamas attack inside Israel last October.
“Shaback is supposed to be at the top of concentration. Every photo they post and every person they target are presumably known to them: how he looks like and who he really is. But this (mix-up) is a proof they have not the faintest idea.”
The Egyptian critic also said he thinks of filing a lawsuit against the Israelis. “Seriously, I’d like to sue those people. I want to get compensation that I’ll offer in support of the Palestinian cause,” he told ON TV, another Egyptian station.
He mockingly said the Israeli security services turned to Google to obtain pictures after searching with names.
The disgraceful affair erupted in public amid strains in decades-old ties between Egypt and Israel over the Gaza war and an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah near the Egyptian border.
