Above photo: Protesters opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi take part in protest, demanding that Mursi resign, at Tahrir Square in Cairo (Reuters/Suhaib Salem)
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has offered a consensus government as a way out of the country’s crisis, but offered no new compromises. The leader has refused to step down, and instructed the military not to “take sides.”
The proposed coalition government would include a Prime Minister elected by political powers, according to a presidential statement. The statement added that “the scenario that some parties are trying to impose is rejected by the people.”
The military ultimatum given to President Mohamed Morsi has come and gone, as hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets. Morsi previously rejected the deadline, which gave him 48 hours to meet the demands of the people before facing army intervention.
According to some reports, Morsi has until 5pm local time to either form a coalition government or face the prospect of a coup.
The meeting between Commander-In-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Abdul Fatah Khalil Al-Sisi, and political forces is still ongoing, Al Arabiya reports. The most important issue being discussed is reportedly that of sending reassuring messages to the Brotherhood’s leaders.
The two sides seem unwilling to budge, with protesters stating that Morsi and his Brotherhood party are pushing an Islamist agenda on Egypt.
TWEET: @PaulaSlier_RT Protesters on #tahrir are chanting “People and police are one hand” #egypt #egyptianrevolution2013
The Tamarod movement has called on Egyptians to take to the streets and squares immediately, and to listen to the army’s speech.
The Brotherhood says the army’s actions amount to a coup and says that its members are ready to become martyrs to defend the president.
This combo image shows: Egyptian protesters calling for the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi (Top) and Egyptian supporters of President Mohamed Morsi (Bottom) (AFP Photo)
“There is only one thing we can do: we will stand in between the tanks and the president,” Gehad El-Haddad, the MB official spokesman, told Reuters on Wednesday.
“We will not allow the will of the Egyptian people to be bullied again by the military machine.”
TWEET: @PaulaSlier_RT Egypt’s army are discussing a new government with the prime minister until the next period of elections #egypt #egyptianrevolution2013
Morsi believes it would be better to die “standing like a tree,” defending the electoral legitimacy of his office, than to go down in history as having destroyed Egyptians’ hopes for democracy, presidential spokesperson Ayman Ali said, as quoted by Reuters.
Army sources had previously said the army would issue a statement after the deadline expires at about 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) but no time has yet been set for official statements, according to the Facebook page of Egyptian military spokesman Col. Ahmad Muhammad Ali.
At least 39 people have died since anti-Morsi protests began on Sunday. A night of deadly clashes in Cairo on Tuesday night claimed the lives of 23 people, most of whom died in a single incident near Cairo University.