Pages

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Egyptian McCarthyism: Book lists Egyptian "friends of Israel"

A new book called "Friends of Israel in Egypt" was recently released in Egypt.

The book goes through every person who seemed to encourage or accept Israel as a friend of Egypt's since the Camp David peace treaty. It lists ministers who encouraged normal relations and diplomats who had warm words for their Israeli counterparts.

Egyptians who cooperated with Israel and the EU in monitoring those entering and exiting Gaza are also listed, as are some Egyptians who married Israeli Arabs.

Most sensationally, the book lists many celebrities who visited Israel or who said nice things about Israel since the peace agreement, and what they said.

Arabic media in Egypt, Lebanon and elsewhere are writing about this book.

The aim is apparently threefold: To embarrass and shame any Egyptians who dared accept the peace agreement with Israel, to blacklist them in the future, and to ensure that no Egyptian even thinks about being friendly to the Jewish state for fear of a second edition of the book.