CAIRO – 05 June 2017: A collection of significant topics were tackled by Arab writers on Monday, including recovering Egyptian-Sudanese relations, the 50th Naksa anniversary and recent terrorist attacks in London.
Al-Hayat
Palestinian writer Samir al-Zabn wrote, “June 5th is more than a defeat.” He criticized the manipulation of naming the defeat “the setback” (as
naksa literally translates in Arabic) because that name allowed some of the elite in Egypt and Syria to avoid taking responsibility for the defeat.
According to Zabn, the elite ruling regimes in Egypt, at the time Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Syria, the Ba’ath Party, were responsible for the defeat; however, those who were defeated ran the region after the defeat. They were supposed to leave power, but instead clung to it more than ever.
“We are not wrong if we say the Arab region in the modern sense has formed due to the defeat of 1967 rather than due to any other event, not only because it disclosed the weakness of the national state and its dismantlement in the Arab East, and not because it destroyed the myth of national liberation and granted victory to imperial extensions in the region, but because these countries also became a component of this defeat,” he added.
He pointed out that this elite silenced the opposition and imposed martial and emergency laws for decades. “To sum up what happened on June 5, we can say Israel defeated the ruling dictatorships, and dictatorships defeated their people and societies, and we have lived an extended double defeat, as an incurable, deep wound,” Samir said.
Al-Ahram
Columnist Salah Montaser wrote, “When we defeated the defeat.” Montaser recalled contradictory feelings of defeat and victory. For the first time in history, the anniversary of al-Naksa on June 5 coincides with 10 Ramadan, which marks Egyptians’ victory in 1973. Egypt was defeated on June 5, 1967, but it won the war against the Israelis on October 6, 1973 (10 Ramadan 1393 according to the Islamic calendar).
“Surprisingly, June 5, 1967 was the luckiest day for Egyptians, because the late President Nasser deceived the Egyptians and claimed that our armed forces were ready to defeat Israel. As a result, the Egyptians danced in streets when radio stations announced the war had begun,” Montaser added.
He shared his feelings about that memory, writing, “Egyptians shall remember that Israel had destroyed 85 percent of our tanks and airplanes; however, our military leadership insisted to take revenge. Then, we won after only 6 years.”
Montaser stressed that it was true that the Egyptians were defeated on June 5, but they also succeeded to defeat the defeat and, eventually, win.
Makram Mohamed Ahmed wrote “Trump, Merkel and Sisi.” He asserted the importance of consolidating ties between Egypt and the European Union (EU). He said both sides must cooperate in fields of illegal immigration, security and combating terrorism.
Ahmed referred to the current disputes between the EU and the new American administration. However, these disputes should not hinder Egyptian endeavors to improve its relationship with both sides. “The EU is the closest neighbor to Egypt geographically, culturally and historically,” Makram added.
The writer pointed out to the ongoing crisis between the U.S. administration and Europe under the leadership of Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel seeks more independence in decision-making from Washington, Ahmed wrote, continuing, “It’s a historic moment and the most significant moment since World War II. France seems to follow the footsteps of the German administration and seeks to improve relations with European countries.”
President Abdel Fatah al-
next week to discuss bilateral relations and the international and regional issues of mutual concern; as the
chancellor invited Sisi to visit during her visit to Egypt in March.
Akhbar al-Youm
Galal Dowedar wrote, “
Friend and sponsor to terrorism becomes a victim.” He said he witnessed the
in London that took place on Saturday; he witnessed the state of fear and terror the Britons have suffered, he wrote.
Seven people were killed in a terror attack in the British capital when a van smashed into pedestrians on London Bridge before three assailants went on a stabbing spree.
Dowedar wrote that the repeated terrorist attacks in Britain come as a result of its sponsorship and support of terrorist groups. The terrorist groups adhere neither to values nor principles, so protecting the terrorists does not mean avoiding their terrorist attacks, he added.
Galal Aref wrote “Egypt and Sudan overcome crises.” Aref wrote that he hopes a new leaf will be turned in Egyptian-Sudanese relations following the
by Sudanese Foreign Affairs Minister Ibrahim el-Ghandour to Egypt on Saturday.
Aref emphasized a warm relationship between the Egyptian and Sudanese people. He said the Sudanese people must realize that Egypt will never conspire against them under any circumstances.
Al-Shorouk
Emad Eddin Hussein, editor-in-chief of privately owned Al-Shorouk newspaper, wrote “
Egypt and Sudan…holy relations.” He addressed
Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour’s visit to Egypt Saturday and referred to words used by Ghandour, who spoke of the “holy” and “brotherly” relations binding the two countries.
Hussein stressed that these remarks should reflect Sudan’s good intentions to contain the recent strained relationship between the two countries. “Relations between countries must neither be holy nor divine because relations rely on policies and tendencies which may cause disputes,” Hussein said.
Hussein did not believe the Egyptian-Sudanese relationship has truly recovered. He called on Sudanese authorities to resolve the current disputes logically, without involving the two countries’ peoples in the dilemma.
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