MENASource

Resorting to a ‘No’ Vote

By Dalia Rabie

It may have dawned on Egypt’s opposition forces that weeks of protests, sit-ins and a very bloody confrontation are doing little to lead to the postponement of an upcoming referendum to ratify a contentious draft constitution. With only three days until the vote, and with Egyptians abroad already at the polls, it seems that opposition […]

Who Can Treat the President? An Allegory

By Alaa Al Aswany

The meeting took place in the villa of the Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood. President Morsi and Khairat al-Shater came early, before the dawn prayer. They had done their ablutions and the Guide led them in prayer. Then they sat down repeating more prayers and the Guide invited them to breakfast. The table was covered […]

Top News: Morsi Issues Official Law Staggering Referendum Vote

By Egypt Source

President Mohamed Morsi has issued a law officially dividing the referendum on the constitution into two stages, according to MENA. 

Top News: Egypt, IMF Agree to Delay Loan Decision, Finance Minister Says

By Egypt Source

Egypt and the International Monetary Fund agreed to postpone a decision on a $4.8 billion loan that had been scheduled for discussion by the fund’s board next week, Egyptian Finance Minister Momtaz el-Saieed said.

Tahrir Bodyguard: Fighting Sexual Harassment on Egypt’s Streets

By Amira Mikhail

Slowly weaving in and out of the crowds in Tahrir, bodyguards pass out hotline numbers to women while keeping an eye out for sexual violence and attacks in the square. Activists and members of civil society are fighting hard to reverse a pattern of violence and disrespect in Egypt. However, their role is often to […]

Top News: Opposition Forces Scorn Morsi’s Concession

By Egypt Source

For a translation of President Mohamed Morsi’s latest decree, click here. A concession offered by President Mohamed Morsi failed to placate opponents who accused him on Sunday of plunging Egypt deeper into crisis by refusing to postpone a vote on a constitution shaped by Islamists.

Morsi’s Illusion of Compromise

By Nancy Messieh

Late on Saturday night, President Mohamed Morsi rescinded his controversial November decree, replacing it with a new one. Like its predecessor, the new constitutional decree is immune from judicial appeal. It states that if the constitutional draft does not pass, a new constituent assembly will be elected within three months, and will be given a six month […]

Islamist Napoleonic Syndrome as a Barrier to Public Diplomacy in Egypt

By Ahmed Younis

In policy circles throughout the Arab world, the phrase ‘Public Diplomacy’ is used as an epithet; a foul phrase that describes massaging the imperial interests of the United States by assuaging the needs of the rich and ruining the children of the poor with sugared candy, rock music, porn and video games. The perception is […]

Why did the Brotherhood Demonstrate at the Palace?

By Jayson Casper

Politics in Egypt has degenerated into the question: Who do you trust? A more critical question right now is: What was their plan? President Morsi addressed the nation late Thursday evening and tied Wednesday’s violence at the presidential palace to undefined ‘political parties’. If the vagary was intended to present the clashes between supporters and […]

Michele Dunne on Protester Clashes in Cairo and President Mohamed Morsi’s Response

Appearing on PBS Newshour, Michele Dunne, Director of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, broke down President Mohamed Morsi’s Thursday night speech, following violent clashes at the presdential palace which left at least 7 dead and over 450 wounded.  Commenting on the speech Dr. Dunne said: "He offered a very small crumb, I […]