[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
Russia, Egypt Seal Preliminary Arms Deal Worth $3.5 Billion: Agency
Reuters reports on the recent news of a preliminary Russian-Egyptian arms deal.
US Promises Delivery of Apaches Ahead of al-Sisi’s Visit
Mada Masr reports the United States’ plans to deliver ten Apache helicopters to Egypt as part of its military aid package.
AP Interview: Egypt`s al-Sisi Ready to Back Anti-IS Fight
President al-Sisi’s interview with Associated Press covers Egypt’s role in the war on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and the future of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
The Myth of Sisi’s Sinai Proposal
Nervana Mahmoud writes, “A report that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposed giving part of Sinai to the Palestinians stirred controversy among Egyptians, Palestinians and Israelis.”
Egypt’s Role in Libya: Lessons Learned from Iraq
Nader Bakkar explores and analyzes the regional ramifications of an Egyptian unilateral military intervention to confront the crisis in Libya.
Tripoli Airstrikes
Maged Mandour analyzes and explains the implications of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates’ coalition to launch airstrikes on Misrata militias in Libya, with the blessing of the United States.
Parliamentary Elections
Fragmented Politics
Mai Shams El-Din discusses the failure of secular political forces to unite ahead of parliamentary elections. This article is translated and published in Arabic.
Party Payments Squeeze out Egypt`s Youth Candidates
Walaa Hussain reports that political parties linked to Amr Musa’s Conference Party are demanding “payments of up to 28,000 US dollars for candidates to be included in their electoral lists.”
Egypt’s Nasserist Popular Current to Become a Political Party
Ahram Online reports that the new Popular Current party will not be led by its founder, and former presidential candidate, Hamdeen Sabahi.
Political Economy
A Donation Plea for Egypt to Live Long
Passant Rabie says, “The state pleads with Egyptians to donate to a charity fund, while [remaining] tight-lipped on where the money is going.”
Egypt and Its FDI Prospects
Omar El-Shenety argues that the government should ensure a steady flow of foreign aid in order to reform and revive the country’s economy.
Euromoney: A Message of Stability From Officials, Private Sector Players
Amira Salah-Ahmed and Esabel Esterman recap the Euromoney Egypt Conference.
Government Celebrates Completion of Suez Canal Popular Funding Scheme
Mada Masr reports on the developments of the Suez Canal funding project.
Despite Difficult Challenges, Egypt Has a Considerable Economic Upside
Mohamed El-Erian argues that by taking advantage of the tourism and investment sectors, foreign aid, and the government’s ongoing popular support, Egypt’s economy has the potential to recover and reform.
Industrial Sector, Investments Will Rise When Egypt Offers Preferential Treatment to Local Products: Trade Minister
Doaa Farid interviews Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour who discusses Cairo’s recent Euromoney Conference, as well as the scarcity of land for industrial expansion, among other issues.
Upcoming Period is Busy Time for Petroleum Industry: Petroleum Minister
Mohamed Adel interviews Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Sharif Ismail, who outlines the state’s investment stimulation plans and the government’s plans for how to overcome national debt.
Political Islam
Draft Bill to Regulate Political Activity at Azhar University
Mada Masr reports on a draft bill to impose restrictions on staff and students’ political activity on Al-Azhar University campus.
Exit Qatar: What Is Next for Egypt`s Muslim Brotherhood?
Zeinab El-Gundy analyzes the reasons why Qatar expelled seven Muslim Brotherhood officials, and speculates on the shifts that the movement will make in Egypt in order to revive its sociopolitical role.
Qatar-Gulf Deal Forces Expulsion of Muslim Brotherhood Leaders
Ian Black argues, “[The] move comes under heavy pressure from Saudi Arabia, UAE and other neighbors, with the threat posed by Isis used as lever.”
The Trap of Friendly Fire
Khaled Dawoud sheds light on the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood’s reactions to claims of a possible reconciliation between the two parties.
Ajnad Misr: The Rise of Homegrown Egyptian Jihadists
Mokhtar Awad analyzes the rhetoric, tactics, and objectives of Ajnad Misr, a homegrown Jihadist group in Egypt.
The Shadow of the Helwan Brigades
Wael Eskandar argues that the exaggeration of the threat the Helwan Brigades is a political move by the state to oversimplify the economic and energy crises in the country.
Rule of Law and Human Rights
Indirect Repression: When Reason is Eliminated
Amr Hamzawy sheds light on the state’s indirect oppressive tactics, which are obstructing the enactment of the rule of law.
Hunger-Striking: A Legal Approach
Mai El-Sadany sheds light on the place of hunger strikes in international law, as a peaceful means of protest used by activists in prison. This article is translated and published in Arabic.
Egyptian Activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah Nominated For European Parliament Award
Ahram Online reports on activist Alaa Abdel Fattah’s nomination for the 2014 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
Amnesty Calls for Mohamed Soltan`s Release from Prison due to Lack of Care
Mada Masr reviews Amnesty International’s press release demanding the immediate release of activist Mohamed Soltan.
The Prison in Us
Alia Mossallam reflects on the imprisonment of activists and revolutionaries.
Egypt Government Reneges on Amending Protest Law
Ahram Online reports, “Egypt’s cabinet has refuted reports that amendments will be made to the controversial protest law.”
EXCLUSIVE: Egypt Begins Surveillance of Facebook, Twitter, and Skype on Unprecedented Scale
Sheera Frenkel and Maged Atef reports on See Egypt, the sister company of an American cybersecurity firm that has won a contract to monitor Egyptian cyberspace on behalf of the Egyptian government.
Reports and Opinions
Egypt’s Fallen Ministry of Information
Mohamed Selim argues, “The country is in dire need of a nongovernmental and nonpartisan institution that regulates, restructures and oversees the ethical and professional approaches of the media channels.”
Education: Moving from Indoctrination to Liberation
Maha Bali says, “Reforming educational curricula, especially where it pertains to values, is by necessity a matter of process and form as well as content.”
Poll: Egyptians Satisfied with Sisi`s Political but Not Economic Decisions
Mada Masr reports on Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies’ survey on al-Sisi’s popularity index among Egyptians.
Mobilizations Around the Sea
Jared Malsin writes on a conference recently held in Cairo entitled “Social Movements and Civil Society around the Mediterranean Sea: What future?”, which highlighted some of the similarities, but also the differences, between struggles in Egypt, Spain, Greece, and Turkey.
In Arabic
الاستبداد والتدخل الأجنبى.. متلازمتا صناعة الإرهاب فى بلاد العرب
Amr Hamzawy argues that oppression and foreign intervention is the leading cause of terrorism in the Arab worldز
التعديلات المقترحة للوائح السجون دون التوقعات!
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights suggests enforcing certain amendments to Egyptian prison regulations and laws. A summary is translated and published in English.
تحريات «الأمن الوطني» وراء حبس صحفي احتياطيا سبعة أشهر
Farid Kareem writes on the detention of journalists who covered protests by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. This article is translated and published in English.
تدهور الحالة الصحية لدومة وسلطان ودعوات لـ«لإفراج الصحي»
Omar Said says that the health of imprisoned activists Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Salah El-Din Sultan has deteriorated as a result of hunger strikes lasting weeks.
يسألونك عن المعتقلين
Fahmy Huwaidy reacts to Minister of Interior Lieutenant Mohamed Ibrahim’s denial that the authorities detain political prisoners.
هل يعيد طريق "قسطل" التصالح والتناغم إلى العلاقات المصريّة-السودانيّة؟
Ayah Aman argues, “The opening of the land port between Egypt and Sudan comes as part of a series of conciliatory steps between the two countries.” This article is translated and published in English.
ما الجديد في الرقابة على الإنترنت في مصر؟
Ahmad Ezzat argues that any move by the Egyptian state to implement large-scale Internet surveillance is unconstitutional, and disregards citizens’ rights to privacy.
المؤسسات الثقافية بعد يناير ويونيو
Adel Abdelwahhab analyzes the intellectual and cultural landscape in Egypt following the January 25 Revolution and 30 June uprising.
حزب “الوطن” السلفي يعلن انسحابه مما يسمى تحالف “دعم الشرعية”
Akhbar Misr reports that the Salafist Al-Watan Party has withdrawn its support from the National Alliance in Support of Legitimacy, which supports ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
الجزيرة
Tim Kaldas sheds light on the differing demands of local communities, discussing the case of public transport in Cairo’s Zamalik district.
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