A foreign journalist asked me about the most important political issue currently preoccupying Egyptians. I assured him right away that it was debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos involving Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Israeli President Shimon Peres.
“I personally attended this session during which the Israeli President was subjected to a scathing attack by all the participants and was barricaded in a tight corner, he said.”But the people of the Arab World are not at all concerned about that, I said. “The public, as well as our venerable press, is now preoccupied with a more important issue, that is, whether Amr Moussa should have stormed out the way Erdogan did? Since we’ve always been obsessed by the long-standing football rivalry between Ahli and Zamalek, we captured the opportunity to apply the same football criteria. The result being that we are now deeply divided over Moussa’s stance.
“Are you serious? Have you unaware of all that was said in the debate, which in my opinion was one of the most important confrontations over Gaza that Israel faced before world public opinion, only to focus on such a trivial issue? the journalist exclaimed.
“Definitely, I said. “This is more important than Israel having to face global public opinion. Moussa has broken the Arab boycott of Israel.
He said: “What does this have to do with the boycott. You take part in Israel in all international forums and sit face to face with Israeli officials at the United Nations. And what Amr Moussa told Peres best reflected the Arab point of view. He faced Peres with the fact that Israel does not want peace.
“It doesn’t matter, I said. “Let others talk about the Arab point of view and accuse Israel in international forums. We’re too busy arguing with one another, and sometimes vilifying one another. We have no time for anything else.
The man looked at me in disbelief. When I added that Moussa should have left the meeting, he laughed at me and said: “Are you serious?
“You asked about the most important issue preoccupying us now, and I have answered you very frankly, I said.
“But what you’re saying is ridiculous. Erdogan didn’t leave because of Peres, but rather because the American journalist David Ignatius gave Peres 25 minutes to speak as opposed to only 12 minutes for Erdogan. So why should Amr Moussa also leave if he had his time in full? Anyway, Moussa stood up and shook Erdogan’s hand in support of what he did.
“He still should have walked out of the session all the same, I said.
“But the session had ended, he argued. “That is why Ignatius did not give Erdogan more time. Everybody left seconds after Erdogan.
“He should have left the very same second, I said.
“How would that have benefited your cause?
“I don’t know, but he should have left, I said.
“Is this really your most important issue now? he said.
“Indeed, yes, I replied.
“Then you are right, he said. “You should go on arguing with one another, even vilifying one another, and leave it to others to defend the Arab cause against Israel.
Mohamed Salmawyis President of the Arab Writers’ Union and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram Hebdo.
