A Brave Voice for Tolerance in Egypt
Thirty years since the signing of the Camp David Accords, virulent hatred of Israel still abounds in Egypt. This hatred is popularly consumed, as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf are best sellers. It is prized in universities, where Egyptian professors routinely agitate against academic exchanges with their Israeli counterparts – even when no such exchanges have been planned. And it is reinforced by the Egyptian government, which harasses Egyptians who dare to visit Israel (most of whom, not coincidentally, are Christians).
Against this backdrop, one Egyptian scholar’s brave defense of “normalization” with Israel is worth noting. Dr. Hala Mustafa, editor-in-chief of the journal al-Demoqratiya, recently hosted Israeli Ambassador Shalom Cohen at the headquarters of the state-owned Al-Ahram media group in downtown Cairo. Shortly thereafter, the Journalists’ Syndicate – the foremost professional organization of Cairo’s media elite – opened deliberations to discipline Mustafa for violating its ban on dealing with Israelis. Meanwhile, Al-Ahram has launched its own investigation of Mustafa’s activities.
But rather than shrink from this challenge, Mustafa has boldly attacked the cultural boycott against Israel, arguing – correctly – that it hasn’t achieved anything for the Palestinian cause. She has also criticized Egypt’s closed-minded media establishment, telling the Financial Times, “I think most of the political trend advocating boycott comes through a media which has not changed since the 60s.” She further lashed out at the hypocrisy of the Egyptian government, saying, “While the Egyptian government is the biggest normalizer with Israel, people who act in the same manner are punished.”
According to Mustafa, the decision to invite the Israeli ambassador to Al-Ahram’s headquarters emerged from discussions among Egyptian intellectuals that followed President Barack Obama’s Cairo speech. This is precisely how the White House should want that speech to be interpreted – as a call for peaceful exchange and tolerance. For this reason, at the very moment that her career is being jeopardized for promoting cross-cultural dialogue, the Obama administration should praise Mustafa as a voice of reason and moderation. This simple act would open space for other Egyptian liberals to challenge the orthodoxies of their countrymen and government without fear of retribution – something that must happen if President Obama is serious about combating violent extremism in the Middle East.
Alternatively, if President Obama allows Mustafa to slip through the cracks of her colleagues’ intolerance, it may be a long time before another Cairene call for coexistence emerges.