121 Articles
Farid Zahran is a publisher and writer. He is the co-founder of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party
It’s no secret that some in Egypt who seek to bring the army back into power have once again descended onto the nation’s streets, not for the purpose of restoring peace and security as some claim, but rather to rule and administer the country from anew. This position enjoys widespread support within a certain sector …
For many, the early days of the revolution served as a political coming-out for a number of underground organisations, some weak, others strong, and individuals, all out to prove their revolutionary worth and zeal. Hailing almost exclusively from the country’s middle and upper middle class youth, from within the ranks of these revolutionaries quickly emerged …
There currently exists within Egypt’s democratic forces a raging debate as to whether or not to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Those who advocate for boycotting the elections do so for a number of reasons, many of which are based on the assumption that it will only be a matter of time before …
This question is often repeated during times of crisis. When a nation finds itself consumed by war or strife, inevitably some will decide to remove themselves from the equation and occupy their time with trivial matters. A number of my friends have asked me this question since I published last week’s article where I attempted …
Despite the fact that the countries of the Middle East are not currently consumed by war, and that there exists at best a cold peace, or a rather muffled sense of competition between them, it is still a shock to see that there do not exist larger cleavages between these countries with regards to their …
Far from violence, clashes and clouds of tear gas, from press releases and accusations, we are called to escape the chaos of our country and pick up the scattered pieces that once formed a picture of Egypt. This picture, as it currently exists under the Muslim Brotherhood, is in the process of being created, but …
In the early days of the revolution, and since then over the last two years, my gaze has often been focused on the young Egyptian who has repeatedly climbed the lamp-posts of Tahrir Square in order to wave a flag in front of the masses. Because I have bad vision, whenever I go to the …
Several days ago the first Social Democratic Forum of Social Democratic Parties in the Arab world was held in Cairo, organised with the support of a number of European parties and groups. To me the conference was a dream come true, as I was once among one of the first to promote social democracy in …
Much of the chaos and confusion that grips today’s world may in fact have been planned and orchestrated by the US
Egypt has gradually been trying to come out from under the cloak of theocracy for many years now, the first attempt beginning after the start of the French occupation of Egypt. Towards the beginning of that period, it was the scholars of Al-Azhar who led the campaign to expel the wave of infidel invaders, however …
rid The referendum was passed with nearly 64% of the electorate voting “Yes,” in two rounds of voting that possessed its fair share of violations, rigging and fraud. Those who did vote “No,” were not just saying no to the referendum itself, but also to the larger Muslim Brotherhood franchise. With regards to those who …
Before jumping to abstract conclusions about what Egypt’s foreign policy will be like under the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood, we must first review what has already happened under their watch. It is especially important to follow the actions of one Assaam Hadad, aid to the president and close confident of Khairat Shater, who has …
Foreigners always claim that support for Islamists in Egypt stems solely from their desire to support those who were democratically elected by the people. It naturally then, falls upon the west to help the Islamists in adopting the values and principles of democracy. These include, of course, respect for human rights and, as was clarified …
History confirms that the relationship between the west and the Muslim Brotherhood is not a recent phenomenon, but rather has existed since the organisation was created. During the British Occupation, the Suez Canal Company provided financial support to Hassan Al-Banna and other local parties in an attempt to counter the influence of the Wafd, who …
It is not an exaggeration or act of slander to say that the Muslim Brotherhood has always been the fascist alternative to what has been a reactionary regime. In the beginning of the 20th century, it entered into alliances with Egypt’s minor parties against the Wafd, who ruled the country and represented the people’s desire …
The process of Al-Tamkin is a phrase often used by Islamists, that can be traced back to the time of the Prophet (PBUH), which, according to various biographies, consists of two phases. The first phase is Istada’af, (subjugation); Muslims during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) were often persecuted, and therefore often hid the fact …
Ask an Israeli and he will tell you that Israel is attacking Gaza because Hamas’s rocket attacks pose a security threat to Israel and its settlements. Israeli sources claim that Hamas has obtained sophisticated weapons which were smuggled all the way from Libya. In step with these accounts, some western officials have declared their support …
It is a well-known fact that the Constituent Assembly must finalise the constitution prior to 12 December. Despite this, it appears that the different parties now insist on their respective positions more than ever before. The disagreements are primarily between three parties: The Salafis, behind whom the Jihadists and Takfiris have aligned, the Muslim Brotherhood …
Those believing that the Muslim Brotherhood act according to American interests, as agents of the United States whom have pledged to carry out whatever is dictated to them, are wrong. Personally, I believe that if the Muslim Brotherhood has indeed adopted American policies and positions, it is not due to the Muslim Brotherhood being an …
In light of the lack – and at times absence – of information, accurate political analysis has become extremely difficult to come by. Hence, we can say without any exaggeration that efforts of analysts in our country rely upon guesswork and whatever information has been scattered and spread as rumours, which find their way the …
Ever since 25 January 2011, Egypt has been searching for a new balance. For, the revolution, like any other revolution, replaced the existing balance with a new one. The transitional phase that follows any revolution is the phase during which the powers that had participated in the revolution clash with each another in order to …
Over the last few weeks, the Muslim Brotherhood has aligned with the Salafis in the Constitutional Assembly in order to pass articles that establish Al-Azhar as a religious authority above any elected institution.
What degree of disagreement can be reached between those calling for the immediate enforcement of Islamic law and those calling for gradualism?
A terrorist group demanded that Christian families leave the North Sinai town of Rafah. The government quickly carried out these orders sending all Christian employees of Rafah to work in Al-Arish and relocating their children to Al-Arish schools. The incident could have ended there, but fate decreed that the story be leaked to political circles. …
An agreement on some strategic foundations is necessary for any country going through a democratic transition. It is unreasonable for any winning party in any country to turn against the policies of its predecessor, especially in terms of foreign policy. A major change in a country’s strategic focus means there has been a major change …
is the appearance of a veiled newscaster a step towards deepening democracy and ending the discriminations or is it a step towards discrimination against non-veiled women and perhaps even against those women who do not wear the niqab as well?
We face now worrying bids to change the state, not the government
Iran needs Egypt in its confrontation with the west. At the very least it needs it to be neutral.
Logically speaking, a more transparent treatment of the loan deal would have allowed for a general discussion on all of the deal’s implications on the public realm
Why are Morsy’s Decisions Pertaining to the Army Considered Important?