For the past 10 years, Egypt has been reminded at least annually of its sectarian time bomb. If your only source of information were Egyptian media, sectarianism would be the work of a radical few, but never a serious problem inherent within Egyptian Society. But if you take a closer look at the lives of …
As soon as our blessed revolution succeeded in realising its main demand and remove Mubarak from office, a streaming flood of Islamists ran through all veins of life in Egypt. Suddenly, ideology became identity, difference became blasphemy and tolerance became treachery. Since way before and during the 18 days, the Islamists felt an over-estimated sense …
Almost nine months have passed since Mohamed Morsi was declared President. Nine months went by with the Muslim Brotherhood on top of state institutions, state authorities and in charge of political policies. Last summer when Morsi went to Tahrir Square for the first time, I was debating with a friend whether this experiment would be …
In January 2011, those who were protesting in Tahrir Square kept a careful eye on world leaders, hoping to hear a message of support for the revolution or a message of pressure to the Mubarak regime. The United States and Western Europe found themselves in a very difficult position. On one hand, their long-time ally …
Sometimes short and straightforward messages are more understandable and effective than long analytical ones. It can’t hurt if we try. President Mohamed Morsi: It is not a matter of who you are; we oppose you because of what you have become. There are millions who did not vote for you and even more millions who …
Mohamed Morsi is indeed full of surprises. Ever since Morsi took office, he has never ceased to present us Egyptians with surprising decisions that make us wonder how, why, and for what purpose these decisions were made in the first place. Decisions like calling the dissolved Parliament back to session, applying new taxes which were …
Since Morsi took office, the map of political actors that existed under SCAF has been reconfigured. During the 8 months of Morsi’s presidency, shifting political alliances and power relations have made for a complex political landscape. While such changes are expected in any political system undergoing a process of transformation, in Egypt they were significant …
Once again we go back to the very basics, to where it all began. What the police did last night around the presidential palace was nothing but a simple reminder of how things are just the same. Those who fell victim to the illusion of change should now wake up and see things for what …
When I close my eyes and think about those two years, I see a bittersweet process of becoming.
Finally, the Muslim Brotherhood’s newborn is here. The Shura Council is back, alive and kicking. The Council that hung by a thread for months waiting for a court ruling to be dissolved is now the legitimate legislative authority. Once again, the Brotherhood succeeds. With complete disregard to laws, norms, opposition and national interest, the Muslim …
The crisis that broke with Morsy’s constitutional declaration on 22 November reconfigured the political scene in Egypt. The map of political forces has changed a lot in this past month. Inside the opposition camp, a new alliance formed between liberals, leftists and conservatives to create the National Salvation Front. Inside the state’s camp, the Muslim …
It is finally here, the big event the Muslim Brotherhood has been eagerly waiting for. The constitutional referendum is finally taking place as this column is being written. There is no question that this referendum is indeed a historic moment that will be remembered. However, while I confess to the referendum being a historic event, …
Last week cannot be called anything other than a big mess. Ever since the Brotherhood took office, we have been reaping one misfortune after the other. From political exclusion to cracking down on freedom of speech, regular power cuts to tragic train accidents, blatant lies about achievements to outright hate speech and from false electoral …
For the past week we have been living in the shadow of civil strife caused by the president’s recent decisions. A state of deep polarisation has been created between all those who associate with Islamic political forces and those who associate with non-religious ones. Morsy’s recent constitutional amendments were not only a surprise to everyone …
The declaration reintroduced Egypt to an era of unchecked power, only this time, within a constitutional framework
Like everybody else, I was taken over by the Israeli attack on Gaza last week. I followed the news of what going on there, participated in a demonstration on Wednesday night and started to ask questions about what this war will mean for the Middle East. For a moment, I thought that I would be …
Ever since the ousting of Mubarak and the rise of the Islamic elite represented by the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafis and other groups, the question of morality has always been on the table. The Islamists, like any other political force that identifies itself with religion, believe that the root of all ills of society is …
No other political group or movement has recieved the same attention or has had the same impact on Egyptian politics as the Muslim Brotherhood, since the ousting of Mubarak until now. The Brotherhood became an everyday reality for Egyptians. We wake up to the statements of its leaders, we follow the news of its significant …
The past two weeks were very difficult to anyone who is trying to make sense of the Egyptian political scene. Egypt has always been a place where reason occasionally disappears and the process of making connections between different events becomes impossible. The last two weeks were the perfect example of this recurring process in Egyptian …
One hundred days have passed since that afternoon when the official result of the presidential election was out. On that day, it took me 20 minutes to drive from New Cairo to Mohandseen, a trip that usually takes me 90 minutes. The streets of Cairo were as empty as a Friday early morning. After days …
The political context in which we live at the moment cannot tolerate repeating the same mistakes of the past 18 months
Like many other Egyptians, the attack on the Egyptian soldiers in Sinai last Sunday took me by surprise. The cause of my surprise was not the timing of the attack in Ramadan, or that it was done at Iftar time, or that a Muslim could kill a fellow Muslim during Ramadan (a few of the …
It is too early to judge the policies or the performance of Hesham Qandil’s government, but it is a suitable time to judge the political significance of its makeup and what this represents. The selection of ministers in Qandil’s government is the first real step towards creating President Mohamed Morsy’s administration. During his first month …