Al-Ahālī

AWR's Diana Maher Ghali writes a press review on three main issues that are currently occupying the pages of newspapers: the second article in the constitution that states: "Islam is the Religion of the State. Arabic is its official language, and the principal source of legislation is Islamic Sharī'ah"; Copts position on the constitutional amendments, finally, electing a Copt as president.

AWR's Diana Maher Ghali writes a round up of the news in Egyptian newspapers about the events that unfolded in the church of Two Martyrs, Saint Mina and Saint George in Sūl village of 'Ātfīh (Helwan governorate.)

Journalist 'Āmīnah Talāl interviewed the residents of Manshiyyat Nāsir who assured that there was not any sectarian aggression between Muslims and Christians in the district. They have always lived together in peace.

A female resident in this area called for reviewing the second article in the Constitution, either by canceling or amending. She added that this article only serves the Muslim Brotherhood.

'Āulfat Madkūr, another writer, interviewed some of the eyewitnesses who believe that the attackers were from the National Democratic Party's men. Other said that there were snipers who were shooting from the top of Sayīdah 'Āishah's bridge at the protesters.

Wednesday's Egyptian newspaper coverage of the Alexandria church bombing focuses on speculation regarding who may be behind the attack. But some are accusing the Egyptian media of competing to identify the responsible party, according to AWR's Hānī Hamdī...

Archpriest Mīnā Ibrāhīm of the Archangel Michael and St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia calls for equality in the building of worship places for Christians and Muslims in Egypt.

He wrote that the obsruction of church building projects and the existence of government standards that differentiate between building churches and mosques threaten societal peace and independence.

In Ibrāhīm's opinion, the issue can be resolved if parliament would only pass a unified law for building places of worship.

Farīdah al-Naqqāsh laments how many Christians are leaving Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine because of the "increasing influence of armed Islamic extremism that targets Christians."

She refers to a recent conference held in Lyons, France to commemorate three rational Arab intellectuals who passed away this year.

The works and ideas of such enlightened men should be propagated by the media and the educational system, as well as included in simplified form in educational curriculum so as to promote "the rational, objective side of Arab-Islamic culture," al-Naqqāsh writes.

A new committee put together by The National Council for Human Rights is finishing up a new anti-terrorism draft law to take effect in December. The new draft law, which will be pitched to the new People's Assembly’s Legislative Committee, would replace the current emergency law if accepted. According to the editorial, experts claim the new draft law is even worse than the existing emergency law, which is allegedly one of the worst the world has ever seen. The article also claims that the existing Anti-Terrorism Law is more than capable of dealing with terrorism in Egypt, which has been on the decline in recent years.

Key Words: National Council for Human Rights – Muqbil Shākir

This article gives a detailed summary of the flight to Egypt, and the travel within Egypt of the Holy Family.