News about the Egypt-Saudi summit tops the front page of state-owned Al-Ahram, which writes that, “Establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is the only way to gain stability in the region.” President Mubarak and King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia called for the halting of settlement construction and Israeli aggression toward Palestinians, among other ambitious demands.
In Al-Akhbar, also state-owned, the Sharm El-Sheikh summit likewise makes headlines. “Mubarak and Abdullah are discussing the peace efforts in Lebanon and Iraq,” reports the paper. The report goes on to say that discussions between the two leaders extended to the current situation in Lebanon, as well as establishing an independent Palestinian state. The Saudi king’s visit to Egypt is the first leg in an Arab state tour that will include Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
The editor-in-chief of Al-Gomhorriya, Mohamad Ibrahim, ran his editorial on the front page. In it, he describes the entire summit as focusing on “saving the Arabs from Islamic militias.” The editorial discusses the role of the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its agenda to form an Islamic Shia.
Al-Ahram, on its front page, looks into “the dispute in the parish of Maghagha” in southern Egypt. The paper quotes Minya governor Ahmed Dia Eddin as saying that Coptic Christians are not supposed to build two churches close to each other. The Coptic Bishop Aghathon is reported as refusing to demolish an annexed building, saying this is the only way to serve the 250,000 members of his church.
In Wafd, an opposition newspaper, the Minya church conflict is number one on the front page, which features pictures of both the Minya Governor and the area’s Coptic Bishop. “Sovereign authorities have intervened to resolve the conflict in the Bishopric of Maghagha,” reports Wafd. A security representative gathered with Aghathon before members of the parliament and Shura council.
Al-Dostour reports that Egypt’s “National security intervenes to end the Maghagha’s disputes after insistence by the bishop not to negotiate with the governor.” The report adds that the problem is nearly resolved. The Coptic bishop assured Al-Dostour that the buildings dispute began prior to the recent disappearance of a priest’s wife, a case that captured public attention. Earlier this month myriad Copts protested in fear that the wife of a priest in Minya Governorate had been kidnapped; however it turned out that she was only hiding from her husband.
In its leading headines, Al-Dostour focuses on the US Attorney General Eric Holder’s visit to Egypt and his statements on the coming elections and Khaled Saeed. “We hope the coming elections in Egypt will be fair,” said Holder. He also pledged that his country would unveil the Egyptian official who has allegedly received bribes, dubbed in the Egyptian press as the “Mercedes Case.” The US had declared earlier that an official in Egypt was involved in a bribery case involving the sale of Mercedes Benz vehicles. Holder also commented on Saeed’s case, saying that people responsible for such an act should be considered criminals.
Al-Shorouq, the independent daily, also leads with Holder’s visit to Egypt and the content of his news conference at the American Embassy. “America’s Attorney General refuses to reveal the person central to the Mercedes’ bribe story,” reads the title. Later in the report, Holder said the US will cooperate in providing Egypt with information on the identity of the official involved in the bribery case.
News about the coming elections is scarce in Thursday’s newspapers. Al-Dostour reports on its front page that the High Committee for Elections is looking into the possibility of participation of Egyptian ex-pats in the October parliament elections. Wafd also reports that the National Democratic Party will start campaigning for the coming elections during the month of Ramadan.
Egypt’s papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhorriya: Daily, state-run
Rose el-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party’s Policies Secretariat
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouq: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
Youm7: Weekly, privately owned
Sawt el-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
