Puzzle Blog

11/1/2012  Cairo governor Dr. Abd El Kawi Khalifa has put forth proposals to achieve two important goals, keeping Cairo clean and motivating young people. The first goal, to keep our capital clean, would be addressed by imposing fines of up to four thousand Egyptian pounds on those who litter in the streets. And if a driver litters, regardless of the type of vehicle, his fine would be required before receiving his yearly license renewal. To achieve his second goal, directing the energy of young people into productive activities, Dr. Khalifa suggested cooperation among the Revolutionary Youth Coalition, local cleaning companies,...

25/1/2012 My recent meetings with foreign, Arab and Egyptian investors gave me the distinct impression that almost everyone plans to wait and see what will happen today, January 25, before deciding on their investment strategies. I heard from real estate expert Mrs. Samia Moussa that many investors she works with have postponed projects until after January 25. Will those who foment chaos succeed in depriving our country of its economic opportunities? translated from Al Akhbar

22/2/2012 Listening to debates about how to reform the police and security forces, I am reminded of the special courts set up after the 1952 revolution that ultimately did more damage than good. For that reason and by virtue of my training as a lawyer, I prefer that we stick to our legal system, with its procedures and due process. If we go by the book, we should be able to put the criminals away and protect our community without resorting to exceptional measures.  As for restructuring and reforming the ministry of interior, I ask the minister not to succumb...

29/2/2012 As a member of the civil society think tank Club de Monaco, I was honored to participate in this year’s meeting held in Qatar by Crown Prince Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Here is an excerpt from the speech I delivered during the closing session. Stability and security Stability is key to security, yet some powers in the country are pushing for the firing of police, without proven cause under the pretext of “reforming the police”. This creates instability by preventing the police from doing its job. Dismissing police without fair investigations is a serious issue and leaves citizens at...

7/3/2012 In his speech before parliament on February 26, Prime Minister Ganzouri said that donor countries had failed to respect their commitments to send financial aid to Egypt. Upon hearing this, my first reaction was to write in Al Akhbar a reproach to the EU and Arab countries for failing to honor their pledges to support Egypt’s ailing economy. Consequently, a friend from Saudi Arabia, who is close to Prince Saud El Faisal, told me to read the prince’s response to Dr. Ganzouri’s remarks. I saw that Dr. Ganzouri had not told us the whole story. According to the prince,...

14/3/2012 Serious concerns were raised about the independence of our judiciary after Egypt lifted the travel ban on 43 foreigners who were under investigation for operating unlicensed NGO’s and illegally receiving foreign funds. Sixteen of those released were U.S. citizens. Personally, I believe it was a mistake to involve the judiciary in this sensitive matter. The courts were put in an impossible position: uphold the travel ban, convict the Americans, and cause an international incident; or release the Americans to travel and provoke the outrage of Egyptian citizens. To make matters worse, the case was handled badly from the moment...

14/3/2012 As a supporter of the presidential candidate Mansour Hassan, I’ve decided to use part of my weekly article in Al Akhbar (and some blog posts) to propose ideas to him from now until Election Day. So, my friend, here are my two cents for whatever they’re worth. My first suggestion is that if you win the election, appoint Minister Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour as your vice president, but wait until after your victory to name him. Why Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour? 1. His roots in the Wafd party Abdel Nour comes from a long line of prominent Wafdists, the...

21/3/2012 We will never forget Pope Shenouda III. We will never forget his quiet words, his unerring advice to the Copts of Egypt in difficult times of sectarian strife, times when violent clashes threatened our national unity. During Pope Shenouda’s illness, sectarian clashes broke out in October 2010 and there were heightened tensions between Muslims and Christians. Father Anba Ermia, general bishop and Pope Shenouda III’s secretary, suggested that I prepare a joint statement to be signed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb; and Pope Shenouda III. As we were racing against time to complete this task,...

28/3/2012 When guests come to visit Egypt from abroad, among their first things they do in Cairo is pay a visit to Tahrir (Liberation) Square, famous for its association with the January 25 Revolution. When will we be willing to face the contradiction between the contradictory images of Tahrir Square? The first is of a place where thousands of dedicated young men and women descended, carrying brooms, dust pans and garbage bags, to clean up after the regime’s downfall; and the second, a year after it claimed center stage of the Arab Spring, is an image of total chaos. Today,...

28/3/2012 People tend to worship celebrities and turn them into idols, especially if they hold high level honors like the Nobel Prize. Nevertheless, Ahmed Zewail’s ranking as a world-class scientist does not stop me from asking him two direct questions: First, after seizing the Nile University (NU) buildings for your “Zewail Science and Technology City”, why are you intent upon dismantling their past achievements? And why do you plan to disband the Board of Trustees, especially considering that it is headed by Akil Bashir, a man known for his experience and honesty? Is the goal to have everything in the...

4/4/2012 In spite of Egypt’s complicated political, economic and security situations, Dr. Mohamed Fathi El Baradei, the minister of housing, has put forth a strategic plan for urban development. This is his gift to future generations who are certain to experience rapid population growth. Dr. El Baradei’s urban development plan challenges the short term thinking that asserts that “the caretaker government”, meaning Dr. Ganzouri and his ministers, should not be involved in making strategic plans for any project. I disagree; we should encourage anyone who is willing to work for our future, even if their stay in power is limited....

Criticism directed to our security authorities18/4/2012 During the last few days, I watched with dismay as large numbers of unruly supporters of Salafist presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail gathered outside the state court in Cairo’s Dokki district. According to Egyptian election regulations, anyone who has a dual citizenship, or has a parent or spouse with one, is barred from the presidential race. Although his mother used her American passport to enter Egypt, Abu-Ismail filed a lawsuit to require the Interior Ministry to prove that she was a dual citizen. Without official Egyptian documentation, Abu-Ismail asserted, he could not be disqualified...

25/4/2012 One of the sources of Egypt’s greatness throughout history has been its legislative codes, one of the first in the world. Our modern civil code has been a source of law and inspiration for numerous Middle Eastern countries and our legal scholars have educated generations of Arab minds. Let us not forget such legal giants as Judge Abdel Hamid Badawi Pasha who served at the International Court of Justice, and Dr. Fouad Riad, judge at the International Criminal Court. Nor should we forget that Dr. Mahmoud Azmi was among those who wrote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted...

25/4/2012 Egypt’s Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) made the decision on April 14 to ban the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Khairat El-Shater, along with nine other candidates, from running for the nation’s top post. El-Shater, a man I used to respect for his intelligence and moderate views, proceeded to slam the SPEC and its head, Farouk Sultan, accusing them of colluding with the SCAF to recreate the old regime. El-Shater even claimed to have documents to prove it. So now the Brotherhood is spying on the SCAF? I wonder how they pulled that off? If only the SCAF and Sultan would...

25/4/2012 I dedicate this new twist to the old slogan to the wiser members of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Mahdi Akef, former general guide, and Mohammed Habib, the deputy general guide, to remind them that they live in a country with millions of Christians, liberals and supporters of a civil state. As we redefine our country together, the last thing we need is the slogan “Islam is the Solution”. translated from Al-Akhbar

9/5/2012 National project for housing The Giza Governorate is implementing a three phase housing project in the city of 6th of October to build 11,940 housing units on 199 acres of land. Phase one is complete and of phase two, 85% of it will be delivered in 2 months. This project brings renewed hope for young people, keeping them from falling into despair, or turning to extremism. Elimination and rehabilitation of slums The strategy for the rehabilitation of slums in the Giza Governorate focuses on the unsafe areas where crime and violence are rampant. The development plan will also extend...

9/5/2012 On Friday, May 4, the chaos in Abbasiya reached its peak after five days of demonstrations by Hazem Abu Ismail supporters protesting his disqualification from the presidential election. The protestors blocked the streets leading to the Ministry of Defense and advanced on it, throwing stones. Earlier, ONTV broadcast a video showing men hiding inside the minaret of Abbasiya’s Nour mosque and shooting at the soldiers and military police protecting the area around the ministry. It appears that this was also the scene of the assassination of military conscript Samir Anwar Samir. I was stunned that the soldiers and military...

16/5/2012 For whom to vote? To achieve the objectives that matter most to supporters of a civil state, such as the non-radicalization of religion and the protection of Copts and women rights, Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafiq should reflect on the consequences of their both running for president. With both of these leading secular candidates in the race, the liberal and nationalist vote will inevitably be split between them. Recent statistics indicate that Moussa has the better chance, while some observers say that the ratings of Shafiq have risen significantly. Regardless, the situation would be tragic if neither of them...

16/5/2012 The top priorities for the next president should be to restore security throughout the entire country, then to stimulate production and investment. People are suffering from the absence of security not only in the capital, but also in Sinai, in Upper Egypt, and along the west coast until Salloum. When I say ‘restore security’, I mean also to reassure policemen that if they perform their duty firmly and correctly, no one will accuse them of injustice or violence. No doubt, establishing security would motivate production. Until then, workers will continue protesting and shouting slogans. We will all pay for...

16/5/2012 Just a few days before the presidential election, Ahmed Shafiq finds himself facing accusations of graft from the opportunist Wasat Party MP Essam Sultan. He claims that Shafiq sold thousands of acres of state land to Hosni Mubarak’s sons at reduced prices. This is clearly another attempt by Sultan to destroy Shafiq’s chances to win the election. Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud should speed up the investigation into this matter quickly, so that Shafiq’s image will not be tarnished during the election. If it is proven that the allegations are false, Sultan’s parliamentary immunity should be revoked immediately and...

23/5/2012 In the days leading up to the presidential election, we began hearing members of some groups saying: “If we don’t win the election, it must have been rigged!” More voices added: “And then we will flock to Tahrir Square and elsewhere to ignite fires!” I was deeply disappointed to find among these some Muslim Brotherhood (MB) figures that I used to admire like Eng. Khairat El Shater and Dr. Mohamed El Beltagui, executive members of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP). For them, democracy means only that their candidate must win. From their point of view, if the people...

23/5/2012 Many reports of electoral abuses have surfaced, such as those that describe Islamic groups going into villages, hamlets and slums with huge quantities of food, such as potatoes, oil and sugar and sometimes even money, to distribute to the poor people to buy their votes. (When I say “Islamic groups” I distinguish between those who practice Islam sincerely, as their faith, and those who manipulate religion for political gain.) The media must be vigilant until the end of the election; they must take their cameras into the streets to expose these abuses, which threaten the legitimacy of the election....

23/6/2012 Today in an interview with the largest cable news channel in France, LCI (The News Chanel), I took serious issue with the American and European media that describe the constitutional addendum issued by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) as a coup d’état. I firmly believe that SCAF took these measures to protect the citizens, the ballot box, legitimacy and justice. Americans and Europeans need to realize that Egypt is not like Libya, Tunisia, or Yemen, because the Egyptian Army actually protects the freedom and independence of the Egyptian people. translated from Al-Akhbar

27/6/2012 I would like to offer some advice to President Morsy regarding the reform of the Ministry of Interior: avoid the spirit of revenge in dealing with it, and act in the spirit of a statesman who is aware of the need for the police forces to protect the security of citizens. Those policemen who are guilty must have their guilt established in a court of law. And it would be reassuring if our head of state, when he speaks about the martyrs of the revolution, whom we all respect, would keep in mind that among the martyrs were quite a...

27/6/2012 We have been desperately waiting for the economy to become the absolute priority to this country, for we cannot allow the stagnation to go on any longer. To stimulate investment at home and abroad, we need to reassure the investors of the constancy of the tax laws and regulations, and we need to restore security and stability. Investment, security and stability are essential for the revival of tourism, one of our main sources of income. I hope that President Morsy will ensure that religion is not used in such a way that it becomes a “scarecrow” that keeps tourists...

27/6/2012 Thinking back on the period preceding the announcement of the results of the presidential election, those who conducted fierce campaigns of slander and negativity against the main bodies in charge of the process should now feel shame. In spite of the skepticism aimed at them, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), the Supreme Presidential Elections Commission (SPEC), and the Supreme Constitutional Court performed their duties with great patience, preparing and issuing their legitimate findings with restraint. Announcing Morsy as president of Egypt ultimately brought honor to the members of these institutions. Finally, Commander Shafiq should be honored...

4/7/2012 The story of Tahrir Square and the January 25 Revolution that changed our political system is now part of our contemporary history. However, the identity of Tahrir square has changed now that the revolutionaries have been replaced by street vendors and criminals who have neither respect, nor dignity, nor hygiene. The square has been transformed into a truly ugly place. Nevertheless, instead of crying over spilled milk, I would ask President Morsy to consider a practical alternative. Why not transform the square into an historic memorial ground with a statue of the famous Egyptian revolutionary “Ahmed Orabi” in the...

4/7/2012 Last week, Mohamed Morsy took the presidential oath twice; first, in Tahrir Square, and then before the general assembly of the Supreme Constitutional Court. The new president appears to have made a successful compromise between the legitimacy of the law and the legitimacy of the revolution. Personally, I see no contradiction between the two oaths as long as in his role as head of state he keeps his priorities straight. It was a nice touch that Morsy spoke at Cairo University, recognizing also the legitimacy of education and knowledge.  He should also consider recognizing the armed forces for protecting...

11/7/2012 President Nasser’s experience with the U.S. is an excellent history lesson for young people who were not yet born during Nasser’s era because it is key to interpreting recent developments between Egypt and America. At the time of the 1952 Revolution the U.S. ambassador to Egypt was Jefferson Caffery, a high-ranking diplomat. Caffery was known to be a great supporter of Nasser, who, along with his Free Officers, was seen as having strong anti-communist sentiments. American support had grown after the Cairo’s January 1952 fire, an expression of popular anger and potential prelude to a street-led revolution. The U.S....

8/9/2012 The Syrian revolution and Al Assad’s potential fall is part of the same scenario that was repeated in many Arab countries, which the West romanticizes and idealizes by calling the “Arab Spring”. Months passed and regimes fell, but in most Arab countries, Libya in particular, the results have been regional and sectarian divisions, conflicts, and economic crises. The “Arab Spring” began with a fact. The presidents of the Arab countries concerned – Gaddafi, Ben Ali, Saleh of Yemen, al-Assad, Mubarak – were dictators who had serious flaws that brought about their downfalls. The corruption and election rigging that took...

17/7/2012 There is a campaign underway serving the political interests of a certain group, that is a retaliation against the Supreme Constitutional Court because of its decision to dissolve the People’s Assembly. This decision was rendered legally through reasoning respected by most jurists. As citizens, something that concerns us deeply about such politically-motivated conflicts are the demonstrations that erupt on our streets, some of them with people shouting slogans, carrying vulgar signs, disrespecting the judiciary, and demanding its purge. The mobs making these unfair accusations attack all state institutions, from the judiciary that is itself entitled to justice, to the...

31/7/2012 A year has passed since gunmen attacked a police station in El-Arish. Those criminals, who belong to Islamic extremist groups, abuse Islam and are an affront to the religion of peace and tolerance. In the early days of the January 25th Revolution, prisoners fled to Sinai after the attacks on police stations and jails throughout Egypt. As their numbers increased, so did the amount of sophisticated and deadly weapons they brought with them. Conspirators in El Arish and Gaza (and possibly those in Israel who remain resentful that President Sadat forced them to return Sinai to Egypt) specifically struck...

29/9/2012 It is now evident that those who participated in the irresponsible demonstrations over the past few days have nothing to do with defending Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). There is abundant proof that most of them were thugs and mercenaries paid to vandalize! In a recent article, I appealed to the Minister of Interior, General Ahmed Gamal El Din to “liberate” Tahrir (Liberation) Square. Although he stated, when he assumed his ministerial duties, that it was possible to evacuate such places like Tahrir Square from criminals in few hours, he believed that a consensus of political movements should precede any such...

24/11/2012 I have spent my life praying to God that I might be the one to bring people together and not the one who divides them. I have chosen a path of dialogue to avoid clashes and conflicts such as those we have seen in recent days. These clashes and conflicts are driving the nation to a stalemate and splitting it into two camps fighting each other. Both camps are forgetting the interests of the country, forgetting the importance of protecting national security and the preservation of life. Therefore, my conscience prevents me from choosing sides or taking part in...

27/11/2012 The rules of dialogue apply to everyone. On the one hand, Morsi, prior to issuing a package of resolutions and a new constitutional declaration, should have met with respected elders of the nation to discuss his reasoning. On the other hand, when Morsi invited political leaders to discuss these important matters, they should not have imposed conditions such as the cancellation of the constitutional declaration before starting a dialogue. Real dialogue does not impose conditions. The nation is divided and at great risk. Our economy is about to collapse and if a “revolution of the hungry” were to take place,...

24/12/2012 Yet another topic that has intensified public anger is seeing Hazem Abu Ismail’s supporters attacking Egypt’s Media Production City and terrorizing members of the media who oppose the regime. Who is Hazem Abu Ismail to allow himself and his supporters to attack the headquarters and the newspaper offices of al-Wafd Party? Who is Hazem Abu Ismail to threaten to cut off the hand of Wael Ibrashi, Egyptian television presenter and Editor-in-Chief of Sawt Al-Umma? If we want to restore the State’s prestige, our legislators, our interior minister, and all ordinary citizens must work together to find a way to...

24/12/2012 I read the new constitution first as an ordinary citizen and then as a lawyer. In particular, I was looking for anything that might affect the independence of the judiciary, for if we are to protect citizen rights and punish criminals, the protection of our judiciary is key. I do not claim to have absorbed every detail when I read the draft constitution, but I did get a good sense of it. Although many of the articles are controversial, the main reason I voted “no” was because of article 233 which states: “The first High Constitutional Court, once this...

2/1/2013 Egyptians tend to jumble the papers when they examine the Palestinian file, so we must take care to distinguish between the Palestinian cause and certain Palestinians individuals. No one can deny the major role that Egypt has played in supporting the Palestinian struggle for justice and equality. For more than 64 years, Egypt made great efforts and sacrifices including going to war. As for the Palestinian people, like all others they vary in type and conviction, and there is no doubt that some adopted extremist religious positions and chose the path of terrorism. We Egyptians will not forgive those...

22/1/2013 As the second anniversary of the January 25 Revolution approaches, a lot of people expect demonstrations by opposition parties who reject the legitimacy of the government. Many anticipate clashes between supporters of the opposition and supporters of the current regime. God only knows what will be the extent and the results of this. I have a completely different scenario in mind, one that carries a dose of optimism and is described in the language of reason. The opposition forces can make as many demonstrations as they wish to reject the legitimacy of the existing regime, but I do not...

8/2/2013 To weaken the police is to destroy their ability to protect citizens and institutions. The police are needed now more than ever to protect us and our families from the growing number of street thugs whose conduct is increasingly violent and erratic. As a man brought up with discipline and respect for the law, I am appalled at the current level of contempt for the police. I think back to the 1940s and 50s and remember that if a citizen assaulted a policeman, or even pulled a button off his jacket, the penalty was enough to deter further breeches...

23/2/2013 Despite Egypt’s political crisis that has damaged Egypt’s tourism industry, the minister of tourism, Dr. Hisham Zazou, successfully put Egypt in a positive light during his speech before the World Tourism Conference in Madrid last month. He relayed confidence that tourism would be back in full force as soon as Egypt moves beyond its current situation. Participants and guests of the conference listened with great interest to Zazou’s speech as he explained that Egypt was and will always be “a real success story” and that to invest in Egypt is to “bet on a winning horse”. He concluded with...

3/3/2013 When we examine Egypt’s current image from the presidential palace, Al Etihadia; to the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier in Nasr City; to Tahrir Square and Cairo University, we hear conflicting slogans and obscene expressions never before known in our history. We see violent clashes between rival sects, sometimes escalating to the use of automatic weapons. The result is always the same – a resounding failure to unify at this most critical juncture of our economic, social and political condition. At the very least we must agree upon a minimum of ways to protect our national interests and security....

17/3/2013 I breathed a sigh of relief when I learned that our armed forces were putting an end to the Sinai smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. In two days they destroyed 20 tunnels with heavy machinery while confronting the criminals who were trying to prevent the demolition. The future of one of the most precious part of our country is secure once again. There is no doubt that the action of the armed forces was carried out in coordination with the military intelligence. This service, trusted by the people of Sinai, is the only authority qualified to gather and...

6/5/2013 For decades, the streets of Kasr El Nil and Talaat Harb in downtown Cairo were a picture of tidiness and elegance. So I was utterly shocked to see masses of street vendors clogging the streets and sidewalks as I was passing through downtown today. Not only have these vendors created an eyesore, the way they are displaying their goods has reduced the passage of cars to a single vehicle, and has completely blocked the sidewalks from pedestrians. This, of course, is illegal. The shopkeepers in this area are facing a serious challenge as it has become impossible for them...

20/5/2013 When we look at the present situation, we find there are two major threats to the future of our country. The first is neglecting work and production, and the second is losing respect for laws and national institutions. The idea of the value of work has collapsed since the 25 January Revolution. With the pretext that we are still in a revolution, large numbers of citizens have given up work to protest and attend sit-ins; some even rioted and destroyed their workplaces! As we all know, when production declines national debt increases. This forces prices of everyday goods higher,...

31/7/2013 As a man who has spent his life promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue, I understand that when conflict dominates the public scene and clashes rage, there are those who wish to begin a period of reconciliation. However, when it comes to strategies to ensure stability, my experience has taught me that we are not in a position to begin reconciliation as long as our national security is at stake. First: When we examine the situation in Egypt, we find a sharp difference between the MB after the collapse of their system, and the rest of the Egyptian people. The...

When one hears the allegations of murder and of wanton bloodshed issuing from the lips of the leaders of the MB and their allies, one has to step back and pause. The men who staged the sit-ins in Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda, and their friends who reside in various hotbeds of terrorism are living proof that Egypt’s national security is under attack. Suffice it to consider the following points: 1. When citizens feel threatened and insecure in their daily life, when one feels like a stranger in his own country, when the country appears to be under occupation by the...

20/8/2013 It was not the first time in our modern history that churches were the targets of attack, but never so many in such a short time. In less than a week after the dispersal of the sit-ins of Rabaa al-Adawiya in Nasr City and Nahda Square in Giza, sixty churches were violently attacked. The methods used also varied from past attacks. For the first time, churches and Christian-owned properties were attacked simultaneously. This also coincided with criminal acts of arson, assault with weapons, demolition of public and private property, and other acts of sabotage directed against all Egyptians by...

13/8/2013 In recent weeks, foreign officials flowed into Egypt with hypocritical slogans claiming that they had come to help the conflicting parties reconcile. Among them, the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who speaks a balanced language; the U.S. deputy secretary of state, William Burns; and two republican senators, John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Considering that President Obama called for us to waive our right as Egyptians to prosecute our former rulers for crimes ranging from treason and espionage to corruption and fraud, it is telling that upon their return to Washington, McCain and Graham changed their position 180 degrees....

27/8/2013 Among the grave errors of ousted President Mohamed Morsi is that he replaced the leaders of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights, NCHR. The NCHR boasted among its members some of our most distinguished figures, including Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a former UN secretary-general and one of the country’s most brilliant diplomats and academics. Ghali, who wrote extensively on international politics, is back to the NCHR as an honorary president. Former Information Minister Muhammad Fa’iq, now chairman of the NCHR, is a prominent specialist in African and was a close associate of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Fa’iq played a pivotal...

3/9/2013 Every Friday, the MB organizes riots, bloodshed, and most recently, assassination. All over the country, the nation wonders: When is this going to end? We can we put the chaos behind us and restore law and order? It is only when peace and normalcy are restored to our cities that we can hope for economic recovery to begin. Until then, the stock market will remain jittery and foreign investors will stay away. Since the massive protests of June 30, the MB has been in a vengeful mood, resentful of its ouster from power. The MB and its allies have...

15/10/2013 Hypocrisy and injustice are two of mankind’s worst traits. How common it is to see people, especially in this country, wax idyllic about the virtues of a ruler as long as he is in power. Then once he is out of office – voluntarily or otherwise – all his accomplishments are consigned to oblivion, better even erased from the books of history. The achievement of Hosni Mubarak as air force commander during the 6th of October 1973 preceded his elevation to, and eventual downfall from, power. It is therefore, an objective matter of public record. I have read every...

22/10/2013 Those who are responsible for planning the future of our country, whether they are economic, medical, social or religious specialists, must understand that the first and foremost problem that threatens our every existence is overpopulation – for it is tantamount to collective suicide.

29/10/2013 Speaking to the Egyptian community in Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Dr. Hazem Al Beblawi said something with which I happen to disagree. He said, “Egypt has terminated military rule and it will never return.” Historically, the movement of 23 July 1952 was based on the ideals of the Free Officers. These ideals developed afterwards in various institutional forms featuring the Socialist Union and a civilian government under Gamal Abdel Nasser, then a form of constitutional legitimacy under al-Sadat. When President Mubarak stepped down, he delegated authority to the leadership of the Armed Forces headed by Field Marshal Tantawi to...

5/11/2013 Like most Egyptians, I watched with horror the bloody riots at Al-Azhar University, during which protestors – willful in their desire to cause maximum disruption to life in campus – detained the university’s president. It was a scene of utter and determined chaos, during which mad and unrepentant extremists ran amok, climbing the walls of the university, throwing computers from its windows, tearing archival documents, and scattering official papers. Theirs were acts of mindless hatred, rendered even more hateful as they occurred in a place of learning. Unleashing their anger in a bout of total ignorance, the assailants clearly...

12/11/2013 America and Europe, having promoted the myth of “Arab Spring”, appear to be intent on breaking up Arab countries. This can be seen in Libya and Tunisia, and even more so in Syria. The Arab countries do not seem to be able to fend off this threat, basically because their armies lack unity and purpose. Only in Egypt was the army disciplined and patriotic enough to protect the country from foreign schemes. The performance of the police and the National Security Service (NSS) – the investigation services that replaced the State Security Service – has been nothing short of...

7/1/2014 The closer we get to the day of the referendum, which many expect to pass with a majority vote, the more the advocates of terrorism become frenzied, seeing this move as detrimental to their fortunes, as it emphasizes the legitimacy of the June 30 Revolution. The referendum is bound to erase the legitimacy of the former regime, which incenses it supporters, adding to their sense of loss and vengefulness. Now they take out their anger against innocent people and against the security forces. The supporters of terrorism have no respect for the blood of Egyptians. They blame the state...

21/1/2014 The outcome of the referendum was a victory for the people who discovered that taking responsibility by saying “Yes” saves the future of our country, our children and our economy. With a yes vote of 98.1 %, people who took the trouble to slip a tiny piece of paper into the ballot box have struck a lasting blow to terrorism, extremism and violence, thus reaffirming our right to stability and security. A closer look at the voting demographics through statistics and published photos shows that women represented the largest number of voters endorsing this constitution. The women of this...

28/1/2014 When Eng. Magdy El Taher bought the Egyptian Plastic Factories, his first thought was for the workers. One of his first decisions was to raise the minimum wage to 1,200 EGP, and limit the working hours to 8, instead of 12, per shift. As of March 2013, El Taher raised salaries to 1,500 EGP. The move, winning him the loyalty and dedication of his workers, boosted production from 150 to 650 tons per month. He also managed to open new markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Competitors in Italy and Greece decided to move their production lines...

22/2/2014 The frenzied criticism of the Egyptian government seen in the foreign press makes me wonder: why is our foreign-language media not reacting to any of this. The State Information Service (SIS), now affiliated with the presidency instead of the Ministry of Information, is also supposed to speak up. If there is a professional reason for the SIS to be part of the presidency, it is one that I am unable to fathom. Information emanating from the Egyptian government can best be handled by people in the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Foreign affairs. It is because of...

12/1/2015 It shocks me that terrorists pretend they are defending the image of prophet Mohamed by killing and terrorizing in the most brutal ways. To all those who share their ideology I have a very clear message: the Prophet is not in need of your actions and your crimes to protect his image.

10/3/2015 What solution is there for confronting the tactics of terrorism? We must be honest with ourselves and admit that we need both public consent and state support. We must enthusiastically back the upholding of strict laws. We cannot allow fear or hesitation to stand in the way. In the same way, we must honor public opinion, without compromising our right to protect ourselves against criminal acts and terrorism. No law is gospel. Laws can be changed when needed to make a strong stand against terrorism. Terrorism is a declared war. Extremely sophisticated and deadly weapons are now being used,...

24/4/2015 When Egypt entered Yemen in the sixties, it was in response to a public demand to displace Imam Ahmad’s regime, a backwards regime, so they claimed. Egypt’s situation then was very different from that of today. Today Egypt is part of a coalition force. In the previous war, during Abdel Nasser’s era, Saudi Arabia was an adversary, and feared going to war. Today Saudi Arabia is Egypt’s ally and the leader of a coalition confronting the Houthis. And the Houthis, shielded by Iran, present a danger worth opposing. Field Marshal Al Sisi strategically maneuvered the Egyptian armed forces to...

25/5/2015 Every Arab reader should know the story of André Azoulay to protect himself from the dangers and injustices of stereotyping. It is common to hear assumptions made about “all Jews”, especially as concerns Palestine. The reality is there are Jews who objectively seek the truth and fully support the Palestinian cause. During my life, I was fortunate to meet some of them. Foremost among these was the late Bruno Kreisky, Chancellor of Austria, who was the first to open his country’s doors to the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, challenging many in doing so. Kreisky also raised awareness about the...

Al Bawaba, 6/6/2015 In my opinion, even if the president and prime minister work around the clock, day and night, it will never be sufficient. Their main obstacle will always be the bureaucracy that hinders advancement, and with all due respect, a “soft” government. The government has a very lax attitude when it comes to taking the required measures to eliminate the dangers that the bureaucracy poses to our future. What is worse is that this government bends to general public opinion rather than adhering to laws and regulations! I would love to see all Egyptians support initiatives that serve to...

Al Bawaba, 2/10/2015 Now that we have seen how the world came round to our side after a period of indifference and maneuvers, it remains for us to address a very pressing issue, our social and economic situation. Let me tell you that our society lacks the spirit of cooperation and collaborative productive work. It also lacks discipline in many things, from the traffic to the garbage collection, another sad story. This feature has rendered Egypt’s image very different from what it was years ago. He who ventures out to walk in the streets and squares of Cairo nowadays, especially in...

Al Masry El Yom, 30/10/2015 On October 15, Egypt was elected as a two-year non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. This international accomplishment brings back memories of other Egyptian achievements in the field. Let us not forget that when human rights standards were defined by the United Nations on 10 December 1948 in Paris, the whole world realized that these rights were but an integral part of the ancient Egyptian civilization. At the dawn of our civilization, Egyptians summarized all aspects of human rights in just one word “Maat”. This word is considered one of the oldest linguistic expressions...

The International Union for Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue and Peace Education (ADIC), over which I preside, and our members, express great sadness concerning the unacceptable aggression against France and its people. We at ADIC, in the name of our organization’s principles, strongly condemn those crimes and convey deep condolences to the French people.

The coalition of the US, France, and the UK is determined to strike at ISIS forces on the Syrian borders, as well as at the oil resources ISIS is using for income. It seems that this time the coalition forces have the will to deal ferocious and painful blows to ISIS in order to protect the coalition nations and neighbors. This time, these great western counties, as well as Russia, are keen to put into practice the moto, “to be or not to be…!” Nevertheless, there is still a question looming about the invitation of Turkey to partake in this...

For more than a year now, many western nations claimed that Mohamed Morsy was ousted by a military coup. This campaign was spearheaded by Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State. The Republican candidate for the US presidential elections, Donald Trump, was undoubtedly right, severely attacking Ms. Clinton in his speech last week in Ohio. He placed the responsibility on Ms. Clinton for protecting the Muslim Brotherhood during Morsy’s ruling, thus causing riots, unrest and chaos. How is it that the Americans and some western countries could ignore the thirty million Egyptians who took to the streets, demanding the...