Egyptians fear Jews will become citizens

 

A sequel to Amir Ramses's film 'Jews of Egypt' was premiered in Cairo on 20 August. The sequel:' Jews of Egypt: end of a journey' explores the prospects for tolerance in Egyptian society.  

Such is the level of popular antisemitism in Egypt that a rumour that foreign investors will be able to buy Egyptian citizenship becomes 'all about Jews'. As Elder of Ziyon points out, this is only the latest example of the country's paranoia that the Jews will return to reclaim their stolen property:


There has been a recent rumor in Egypt that the government might start selling Egyptian citizenship:

Economic experts have recently begun discussing the idea of selling of Egyptian citizenship to foreign investors as a solution to the deteriorating investment climate in Egypt.

Following the 25 January Revolution, official figures show Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell drastically due to instability, from approximately $13.2bn in the 2007/2008 fiscal year to around $5bn in the last fiscal year (FY). A total amount of $2.8bn of the $5bn was in the first half only, according to chairman of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Hassan Fahmy. In FY 2012/2013, FDI had marked $3bn.

Although the rumors have been denied, the Egyptian street is in an uproar about it.

Because they are worried that Jews will become Egyptian citizens.

In late 2012 there was a similar uproar when an Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood official said that Jews who used to live in Egypt should be able to return when Israel is properly destroyed.

Egyptians are paranoid that the Jews they expelled will come back and claim all the land and buildings that were stolen. In early 2013 there was a rumor that the Muslim Brotherhood had burned down a museum that included state archives in order to allow Jews to come back and claim their stolen heritage.

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My comment:  few will appreciate the irony that 40 per cent of Egyptian Jews were stateless when they lived in the country. The concept of selling citizenship turns what the West considers a basic right into a commodity.