Shaytanit Al-Filistinyeen fi Misr (The Demonisation of Palestinians in Egypt) by Osama Amer, Dar El Shorouk Publishing, Cairo, 2014, pp.223
It would be difficult for a reader to manage to find a book with so many mistakes – both deliberate and unintentional – so many paradoxes and possibly lies, as to make its writer seem to border on delusion.
More of a lengthy report that concludes with what its Palestinian author Osama Amer calls a documentary appendix, the book presents an introduction written by leftist Palestinian historian Abdel-Qader Yassin, who resides in Cairo.
Yet the very first lines of Yassin's introduction already trigger in the reader the awareness that something is not quite right. It is mysterious that Yassin should limit himself to general, indisputable views regarding the Arab identity of Palestine. The last line of the introduction is in fact the only one that relates to the theme of the book at all, and it goes thus: "In this book, Palestinian political writer Osama Amer monitors the frenzied efforts [presumably, the attempts to demonise the Palestinian people], so let's go on reading the book."
Soon, the reader discovers that Yassin is neither with nor against the book for which he wrote the introduction. The absence of Yassin’s usual clarity, candour and rectitude are immensely disappointing, as is his featuring his name on an introduction to a book that he does not in fact introduce.
Beyond such an introduction, unbefitting of a historian of Yassin’s stature, the writer wonders about the reasons why Egyptians manifest a hostile stance against Palestinians, estimating that: "It's one of the facets through which the Egyptian perceives himself and the world -- via a horrible Egyptian centralised view that misunderstands its Arab milieu. A self-perception that clashes with reality."
Amer elaborates on his philosophical meditations and his profound psychoanalysis of the Egyptian people by pointing out that archaeological discoveries have led Egyptians to delude themselves into thinking that they are the uninterrupted genetic extension of the civilization that ruled dominant 7, 000 years ago.
He also adds that "since the late nineteenth century, and the return of the Egyptian scholarship students from Europe, writings have emerged which aimed to set Egyptians apart from their Arab surroundings and forcibly attach them to Europe […] and writing in Egyptian colloquial." Moreover, in an unfortunately delusional manner entirely divorced from reality, the writer additionally claims the existence of attempts made by Egyptians to replace Arabic letters with Latin letters in writing. As for Gamal Abdel-Nasser's era, the report writer estimates that it only deepened the sense of Egyptian centralisation.
The aforementioned were merely quick and random examples of the report written by the Hamas-affiliated author. His meditations, judgments and bombastic philosophical discoveries do not hold in the face of incidents and historical events spanning more than 60 years since the Nakba (Catastrophe) through which Palestine was occupied and its people were expelled by the US-assisted Zionists.
For instance, no mention is made of the Egyptian martyrs who volunteered in the ranks of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organisation) throughout the sixties and seventies. Dozens of Egyptian cities welcomed back the bodies of their martyred volunteers with popular carnivals celebrating their solidarity with their Palestinian brethren.
Another example is the groups that formed after the 1967 defeat in support of Palestine -- formed by the Egyptian people and not the Egyptian government or any other official body – which began to spread widely in Egyptian universities, playing a huge role in supporting the Palestinian Revolution.
In a third example, it was the Egyptian people – and not the government – that rose up against the aggression exercised against the Palestinian people and organised dozens of convoys carrying food and medicine donations to enter through Gaza. As for the demonstrations and rallies in support of Palestine, they are more frequent than Amer can enumerate.
Amer has presented distortions, delusions and fabrications in reaction to what the Egyptian press and satellite channels had broadcasted after the 25 January Revolution -- such as prison break-ins, the disappearance of Egyptian police officers, the heinous killing of Egyptian soldiers in Jericho and some newspapers reports about Muslim Brotherhood leaders hiding in Gaza after Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's deposal.
As a matter of fact, Amer is fond of quoting Hamas Politburo Deputy Chief Mousa Abu Marzouq, highlighting his views on all aforementioned incidents and events. However, since the book is directed to the Egyptian people, it should have included the views of all different parties, rather than presented a lopsided prism of events.
Additionally, the report writer also accuses Egyptians of distorting their awareness, of accepting the "demonisation of the Palestinians" and of believing the “lies” about Palestinians being responsible for dozens of crimes committed since 25 January 2011 until the Brotherhood’s downfall.
At the very end of the book Amer presents a “documentary appendix” that includes 17 documents allegedly issued by a "Fatah security media cell" directed by the Palestinian intelligence agency. It comprises media plots aimed to tarnish Hamas, fabricate lies for publication in certain Egyptian newspapers and satellite channels with the aim of demonising Hamas through accusing the group of committing dozens of crimes.
However, the documents that Amer brings to light are unreliable. Even if they were to be believed, they pertain to the conflict between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which has nothing to do with the Egyptian people.
Once again, never has a book contained so many mistakes, contradictions and falsehoods as Amer’s lengthy report does.
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