Egypt Headed in the Wrong Direction: Two New Troubling Appointments

Nabil Elaraby

Two new appointments in Egypt don’t bode well for those who believe that the country is headed toward a peaceful democracy. On Sunday Nabil Elaraby was appointed foreign minister. During an August 2001 interview with an Egyptian newspaper, he was quoted as saying, “I personally support an Arab Muslim claim against Israeli crimes.” And he had an anti-Israel voting record while he served as a member of the International Court of Justice at The Hague. A day earlier, on Saturday, Egypt announced that General Mansour el Essawy is the new minister of the Interior. He quickly announced that his new priority was to restore order and increase security throughout Egypt.