Egyptian army withdraws plan to influence constitution

The Egyptian revolution seems to be far from over Cairo – Akram Ali US newspaper The New York Times has reported that Egypt's military rulers have withdrawn their plan to intervene in the country's democratic process following internal criticism In the decision , the Higher Military Council members likely gave in to criticism just days after the proposal was unveiled, claiming that they are failing to accept the people's will and respect the democratic process.
Newly elected parliament members, dominated by the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement, will now be tasked with selecting a panel that will write the constitution.
“The Parliament is the only entity responsible for forming the Constituent Assembly through its elected members,” General Mamdouh Shahin, a member of the governing military council, told Egyptian state newspaper Al-Ahram.
The military rulers said Wednesday the next parliament would not be representative enough to independently oversee the drafting of a constitution, and that they would appoint a council to check the influence of religious extremists on the process.
The announcement followed a surprisingly strong showing by Islamist groups who took the overwhelming majority in the first round of parliamentary elections. The outcome caused concern among the liberals who drove Egypt's uprising and the military, which took power from ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.
Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Egypt's military ruler, swore in the new Egyptian cabinet on Wednesday, saying it would have more powers than its predecessor.
Tantawi promised to transfer some of the Military Council's executive powers to newly appointed Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri.
The Military Council's statement did not go into specifics as to what new powers the new government will have, but said that it would continue to control the judiciary and the armed forces.
The new government replaces an interim administration that resigned in the wake of deadly clashes between security and protesters last month.
Ganzouri, 78, served as prime minister under Mubarak from 1996 to 1999.
On Tuesday, Ganzouri promised he would "never use force to remove protesters" and pledged "to make security and revitalization of the national economy top priorities for his government."
On November 25, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians converged on Cairo’s Tahrir Square to demand the speedy transfer of executive power from SCAF to a civilian authority. The protest followed days of violent clashes between security forces and stone-throwing activists that left at least 44 of the latter dead and more than a thousand seriously injured.
Meanwhile, Al-Azhar Sheikh Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, called on the Egyptian youth participating in the sit-in in front of the cabinet to keep the interest of Egypt and Egyptians in mind,  and to give the national salvation government a chance to start functioning. he urged protesters to let the government restore security, rescue the deteriorated economy, and resume production in stalled factories, hospitals, education, and other governmental departments.
The Sheikh’s statement, copied to ‘Arabstoday’, explained that the youth can follow up with the progress in these areas and express their opinions, recalling at the same time their right to protest and call for legitimate demands, taking into account the interest of Egypt and Egyptians.
El-Tayeb also demanded that SCAF and the new cabinet take the opinions of the youth seriously, stressing his confidence and appreciation for the cooperation of the youth and "their understanding of the national responsibility before God, the nation, and history."  
The imam of Al-Azhar noted in his statement that Al-Azhar addressed the Egyptian youth out of his concern over the nation’s youth and the nation’s course to achieve the current urgents needs of Egyptians.