Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Ann Emil Zakī, a 35-year-old mother of four, adamantly insisted to become the first Egyptian woman to be ordained as priest right after she finished her theological studies. [Mīrā Mamdūh, Rose al-Yūsuf magazine, Jan. 28-Feb. 3, pp. 58-59] Read original text in Arabic

The ‘urfī (conciliatory) council of the elders of Muslims and Copts in Asyut governorate managed to restore calm to al-‘Adar on the third day of sectarian incidents in the village and some other neighboring villages, sparked after a Coptic high school student has reportedly published cartoons offensive to Muslims on his Facebook page. [‘Abduh Hasānyn and Ahmad al-Asyūtī, Al-Wafd, Jan. 2, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic 

Islam criminalizes attacks on churches and non-Muslim houses of worship as Islamists, namely the Muslim Brotherhood and a number of Salafī parties, volunteered to protect churches during the New Year celebrations. [Dīyā' Abū al-Safā, Akhbār al-Yawm, p. 7, Jan. 1] Read original text in Arabic

The Iftā' House announced that Shaykh 'Imād 'Ifat, the Fatwá Secretary there, was killed in clashes and acts of violence off the cabinet office on Friday 16 after he was shot in the heart. [Al-Jumhūrīyah, Dec. 17, p. 2] The article has link online

It has been settled in the public mind that the church represents the Copts politically as the church receives congratulations over holy and religious occasions and through it to the "Coptic brothers" and it is also the one that is consulted over laws that have to do with Copts.

An investigative report, about indicators of the upcoming parliament, was carried out by two journalists from Akhbār al-Yawm.

Indicators show that Islamist groups, old political parties, and businessmen will take over the parliament, with youth or new political parties seeing a major absence.

Experts believe that the Islamists groups will take 40 percent of the parliamentary seats while the rest of the percentage will be occupied by old political parties, businessmen, remnants of the dissolved National Democratic Party, and parliamentary parties.

“Through the past years, Copts faced many problems in practicing their religious rites due to the minimal number of churches in many places” says Īhab Ramzī, the author of the article.

The Cabinet has issued a decision to isolate any National Democratic Party (NDP) leaders working in administrative bodies and institutions, as well as a cabinet reshuffle. No NDP leaders will be given any position of state leadership, and their positions are being reviewed by the Attorney General in light of recent reports and complaints about their actions.

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All Egyptians, Muslims or Christians, were shocked by Maurice Sādiq's recent declaration "of a separate Coptic state in southern Egypt" and even his selection of Coptic activist 'Ismat Zaqlamah as its president.

Sādiq, Chairman of the National American Coptic Assembly (NACA), who has recently been stripped of Egyptian nationality upon a court ruling, said the so-called state would be autonomous in the fashion of the Kurdistan state in Iraq.

Egyptian churches, on the other hand, vehemently rejected these statements and calls which they termed as "destructive for millions of Copts".

Al-Jamā'ah al-Islāmīyah handed its documents to establish its political party al-Binā' wa al-Tanmīyah (Reconstruction and Development) to the Political Parties' Affairs Committee.

'Isām Dirbālah, the head of the group's Shurā Council, said that there are a lot of women and Copts among founders of the party, but, he said, it is inappropriate for a Copt to be president on the grounds that Muslims are the majority in Egypt.

Furthermore, women can take roles in several tasks but not as president, Dirbālah added.