Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Sectarian fitnah ignited anew on Monday (January 30) in the village of Sharbāt, al-Nahdah district, western Alexandria, where young men attacked several houses and stores owned by Christians, started fire and pelted stones, leaving three stores ablaze. [Amīrah Fathī, al-Wafd, Feb. 1, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic

The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) reiterated condemnation of "attempts to provoke the group's youths" in al-Tahrīr Square during celebrations marking the January 25, 2011 revolution's first anniversary. [Hānī 'Izzat, al-Ahrām, Jan. 31, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic

Subhī Sālih, a member of parliament from the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said there are some attempts to spark a falling out between youths in al-Tahrīr Square and parliament on one hand and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on the other. [Fātimah ‘Abd al-Bāsit, al-Akhbār, Jan. 30, p. 6] Read original text in Arabic

The area of al-'Āmirīyah, west of the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, has been the scene of deplorable incidents when Muslims and Christians exchanged fire, leaving three wounded and setting some stores on fire, after a young man saved the images of a young girl on his cell phone and showed them to his friends. [Nāsir Juwaydah, al-Ahrām, Jan. 29, p. 18] Read original text in Arabic

Several Coptic clergymen and activists criticized the Evangelical Synod of the Nile's approval to ordain the first female priest in Egypt, to the awe of other Christian denominations in Egypt. [Jamāl George, al-Fajr, Jan. 27, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic

Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III, in his sermon on Wednesday (January 25), carried by TV channels, said the January 25, 2011 revolution is one of the greatest events in Egypt’s history, expressing his wishes that the revolution remain peaceful and achieve its objectives of having Egypt becoming once again the key player in the Middle East. [Ashraf Sādiq, al-Ahrām, Jan. 26, p. 7] Read original article in Arabic

Presidential hopeful Dr. 'Abd al-Mun'im Abū al-Futūh said Egypt has been a Muslim nation for nearly 15 centuries now, criticizing voices calling for the implementation of the sharī'ah "as if Egypt has been a Quraysh or infidel state". ['Ādil al-Darajlī, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Jan. 22, p. 14] Read original text in Arabic

The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo approved by majority during its annual meeting on Friday (January 20) on the ordaining of women as priests for the first time in the history of all Christian denomination in Egypt. ['Imād Khalīl, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Jan. 21, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called for supporting Islamists in Egypt because this would serve the interests of democracy, freedom and stability in the Middle East region. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Ahrām, Jan. 20, p. 7] Read original text in Arabic

The government approved on Wednesday (January 18) a draft decree law to re-organize the Azhar and its affiliated bodies, known as the Azhar Independence Law, according to Minister of Planning & International Cooperation Fāyzah Abū al-Najā. [Mansūr Kāmil, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Jan. 19, p. 3] Read original text in Arabic