Egypt refuses Israel's offer to assist in search and rescue

An Egyptian passenger ferry carrying around 1,300 people, mostly Egyptians, sank in the Red Sea overnight, and the bodies of at least 30 people were retrieved, Arabic-language satellite TV network Al-Jazeera reported Friday.

The company's owner, Mamdouh Ismail, said the ship is more than 25 years old and registered in Panama. He spoke before the sinking was announced and refused to comment further.

The ship is owned by the Egyptian firm El-Salaam Maritime Transport Co. and was carrying 1,300 passengers, the official added. Some of the passengers are believed to be pilgrims returning from the annual hajj to Mecca, which ended last month.

A ship owned by the same company, also carrying pilgrims, collided with a cargo ship at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal in October, causing a stampede among passengers trying to escape the sinking ship. Two people were killed and 40 injured.

And unsurprisingly, Egypt has declined the Israel Navy's offer of search and rescue assistance.

So be it. Let the bloated bodies of the Egytpian dead rot and rise up with stench on Egypt's shores. This way, the world will once again bear witness to Jewish ethics and Arab stupidity.