Author: David Hearst
Affiliation: Middle East Eye
Organization/Publisher: Middle East Eye
Date/Place: March 26, 2021/UK
Type of Literature: Opinion
Word Count: 1500
Link: https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/suez-canal-sisi-danger-not-only-egypt-world
Keywords: Egypt, Suez Canal, and Sisi
Brief:
The editor-in-chief of Middle East Eye shows how the Egyptian government did not comment at the beginning of the Suez Canal’s stuck-ship debacle, and even tried to blackout any news about the canal. The author maintains that the Egyptian government lies to its people daily, and in times of crises—like the recent Suez Canal’s vulnerability—it lies to the international community. Hearst reminds us of the Russian passenger jet, which was shot down by an Islamic State (IS) missile in 2015; despite the fact that it was IS, the Egyptian authority has stated that the crash was due to a technical fault. The reason was that Sharm el-Sheikh belongs to the country’s tourist industry; it took the authority more than three months to admit that the plane was brought down by a missile fired by the IS. From the stuck ship in the Suez Canal, two lessons are to be learned. Firstly, the significance of the canal as well as Egypt for international shipping. Secondly, how dreadfully and incompetently both are being run. The author criticizes Sisi’s rule, stating that he is a danger to Egyptians and Egypt as well as international trade and stability.
By: Fadi Zatari, CIGA Senior Research Associate
