Top Headlines
- Egypt’s Sisi visited Germany, Serbia, and France
- Macron hosts Egypt’s al-Sisi in Paris for talks on security and defence
- Russian FM visits Egypt, part of Africa trip amid Ukraine war
- US special envoy begins tour of Egypt, UAE, and Ethiopia
- US dollar rose to highest level in 4 years against the Egypt pound
- Egypt’s economy will grow steadily over next three years. Reuters Poll
- Israeli Navy sinks boat attempting to smuggle ‘equipment’ to Hamas from Egypt
- An Egypt court calls for execution of female student’s killer to be broadcast live
Main Headlines
Monday
- Egypt is ready to play role in Easing Europe gas crisis, President Sisi Says
- Egypt suspends hot air ballooning over Luxor after 2 injured
- Egypt’s president, German chancellor urge breaking stalemate in GERD talks to reach binding solution on dam
- Egypt, USAID discuss strengthening means of cooperation in sustainable tourism ahead of COP27
- US dollar rose to highest level in 4 years against the Egypt pound
- Demand for Egypt’s real estate shrunk in June
Tuesday
- Egypt’s Sisi meets President of Germany in Berlin
- Egypt launches Cairo Bike, establishes 5 stops in Downtown Cairo ahead of COP27
- Egypt’s regulatory authority green lights UAE’s Chimera’s request to acquire Beltone Financial holding
- 22 dead, 33 injured in Egypt bus crash
Wednesday
- Serbia and Egypt agree to boost cooperation amid war in Ukraine
- Construction of Egypt’s first nuclear plant is under way
Thursday
- Egypt’s economy will grow steadily over next three years. Reuters Poll
- Egypt relaxes street photography ban for tourists, up to a point
- Egypt, German Lohmann Energy & Infrastructure discuss cooperation on transition to green ports
- Egypt voices full support for Iraq sovereignty , extends condolences to victims of Kurdistan attack
Friday
- Macron hosts Egypt’s al-Sisi in Paris for talks on security and defence
- Family of a French backpacker who went missing in Egypt press for investigation into his disappearance
- Egypt Receives €117.9 Million from EU to support water and energy security
Saturday
- Harming Egypt’s water interests will lead to international and regional tension: Egyptian FM
- Egypt’s president marks 70th anniversary of July 1952 Revolution
- 727 Egyptian prisoners released by presidential pardon on anniversary of July 1952 Revolution
- India and Egypt, others seek fairer WTO trading system amid food woes
- Sarah Sabry set to be first Egyptian to travel to space
Sunday
- Russian FM visits Egypt, part of Africa trip amid Ukraine war
- Lavrov offers reassurance over Russian grain supplies in Cairo visit
- US special envoy begins tour of Egypt, UAE, and Ethiopia
- Israeli Navy sinks boat attempting to smuggle ‘equipment’ to Hamas from Egypt
- Liz Truss accused of ignoring British activist on hunger strike in Egypt
- An Egypt court calls for execution of female student’s killer to be broadcast live
Reports
- Egypt to list more state companies on stock exchange. Al-Monitor
- Importers face higher banking fees, placing further pressure on companies’ liquidity. Mada Masr
- Russian painter claims paintings illegally used in Cairo metro mural. Al-Monitor
Photo Gallery
- 23 July movement: A quick history in pictures
Read
- In Egypt, a rumour sparked an overthrow. Chloe Bordewich
From Twitter
Plus
- Hippocrates’ medical recipes are discovered at a monastery in Egypt
Nervana 
A Review of Israeli Movie “Image of victory”
(photo credit: IRIS NESHER
War dramas are tricky productions. They may be heavily one-sided, lacking objectivity in order to glorify or demonize one side over the other. The latest Israeli drama, Image of Victory, revisits the 1948 war between Egypt and Israel. Although it attempts to avoid the one-sided bias trap, it ends up creating an epic politically correct version of the Egyptian side of the war, regurgitating much of the Nasser-era leftist propaganda.
According to one report, the film highlights both Israeli and Egyptian heroism, with actor Amir Khoury portraying real-life Egyptian journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, an aspiring photojournalist on the frontlines who was pressured by his government to create the “image of victory” and not report on the true losses and costs of the war.
It is indeed refreshing to see an Israeli movie portraying the Egyptian army as being well organized and heavily armoured, disciplined, and well-mannered by respecting the rules of engagement. However, watching an Israeli film resurrecting views expressed by the late Heikal, as if they are sacred undisputed facts, is surreal and unsettling. The film’s script embraced the spirit of Heikal, who despised the late King Farouk of Egypt, by making the Egyptian part of the film look like a resurrection of 1950s Egyptian melodramas, with a full and unapologetic demonization of the king.
In an effort to create a balanced look to the film, director Avi Nesher opted to adopt a popular Egyptian narrative: that the Egyptian monarchy sold out its soldiers. However, this is a mythical concept that lacks solid evidence, as researcher Chloe Bordewich highlighted in her latest piece. The need to battle the narrative of the 1948 war is not new, and blaming the king has become the prevailing narrative since he was ousted 75 years ago. No, the Egyptian army was not fully prepared to fight in Palestine. Yes, a PR machine sold the public a rosy picture of the war, at least in its initial stages. However, one can argue that those same gross errors were repeated in the 1967 defeat, 19 years after the ousting of the king.
The director, who supposedly believes “in doing extensive research” and that “the more truthful it is, the more entertaining,” made a far better decision to stick to narrative of the capturing of Kibbutz Nitzanim, instead of delving into the myth of bad king versus honourable army.
The movie also opted to sanitise the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood in the war as well as the growing resentment between the army and the brothers. It created the role, played by actor Ala Dakka, of an Egyptian “firebrand” who believes in the cause for which he is fighting. How convenient!
Moreover, how can a movie labelled as the “most expensive Israeli movie ever” and whose director takes pride in doing extensive research fail to make its characters speak with a correct Egyptian accent? All the actors in the movie speak with a mediocre accent that does not even remotely resemble an Egyptian dialect. They sound alien and silly. Are there no dialect coaches in Israel?
With its flawed take of Egyptian history and ridiculous Egyptian dialect, Image of Victory was neither truthful nor entertaining. In a long conflict, like the Arab –Israeli conflict, embracing decontextualized history and playing loosely with facts are the last things needed. Image of Victory may have good intentions, but it is a flawed politically correct drama that is neither objective nor accurate. The circumstances behind Egypt’s defeat in the 1948 war should trigger an internal debate within Egypt, not entice an Israeli drama to enforce a lazy version of events.
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