Egyptian minister strongly implies that no Jewish archaeologists are approved to do research there

Recently, Egyptian historian  Bassam al-Shamma claimed that 70% of the archaeological missions in Egypt are Jewish researchers who "seek to facilitate the smuggling and Judaization of the Egyptian antiquities and to transfer false information about ancient Egypt in their books and research papers published abroad."

Yes, the Egyptians are obsessed with the idea that Jews are stealing their history.

Naturally, the Antiquities Ministry needed to address these concerns. So it responded to the antisemitic claims by saying that it is far too antisemitic to allow such a thing to happen.

Dr. Abd Al-Rahim Rihan, the general manager of archaeological research and study and scientific publications in the Antiquities Ministry, confirmed that there is no connection between the statements of the (Antiquities) Minister regarding the finding of Pharaonic antiquities in Israel and what was said by the historian Bassam Al-Shama’a in his interview with “Al-Youm Al-Sabi’”, namely that 70% of the scholars of the expeditions that are excavating for antiquities in Egypt are Jewish. (Dr. Rihan) described these statements as “unfounded claims”.

In exclusive statements to “Al-Youm Al-Sabi’”, Rihan stressed that there isn’t a single Jewish antiquities scholar in Egypt, and that the (Antiquities) Ministry properly supervises the examination of the background and education and knowledge of every single person who comes in the framework of foreign expeditions to excavate for antiquities in Egypt, and that there are additional security approvals and conditions to the supervision of the (Antiquities) Ministry, and that it is impossible for a scholar to get approval to participate in an excavation expedition without getting those security approvals.

Rihan is reassuring worried Jew-hating Egyptians that his department's extensive background checks ensure that none of the Western archaeology scholars that are allowed into Egypt have Jewish blood.

It really isn't hard to find official Arab antisemitism. But Western media try really, really hard not to notice it.

(h/t Ibn Boutros)

---

---

We have lots of ideas, but we need more resources to be even more effective. Please donate today to help get the message out and to help defend Israel.