Introduction: Geagea's Visit to Egypt Increases Egypt-Syria Tension
A meeting in Egypt about a month ago[1] between Dr. Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces party, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak increased the tension between Egypt and Syria,[2] due to Geagea's status as leader of the Lebanese opposition to Syria. In statements to the Egyptian press, Geagea harshly criticized Syria's policy in Lebanon during the early 1990s, blaming Syria for his persecution and arrest and saying it had made a scapegoat and an example of him for anyone who might oppose its policy. He also condemned Hizbullah's armament, saying the organization is working in the service of Iran and Syria.[3]
Geagea's statements aroused considerable resentment in Syria. The Syrian daily Al-Watan was quick to point out that Geagea had reiterated his demand for the disarming of Hizbullah immediately following his meeting with President Mubarak,[4] hinting at Egyptian interference in Lebanon's domestic affairs. Several days later, the UAE daily Dar Al-Khaleej reported that the Syrian Foreign Ministry had demanded clarifications from Cairo for having hosted "persons known for their hostility toward Syria," such as Geagea, who "is not afraid of using violence," and whose visit "raises concerns regarding the purpose of his invitation to Cairo and his meeting with Mubarak."[5] Egypt denied having received a demand for clarifications.[6]
The renewed tension between Egypt and Syria is also reflected in statements made by Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal to the Lebanese weekly Al-Afkar. When asked to explain his reasons for not participating in the June 23, 2010 summit of Arab information ministers in Cairo, Bilal said: "I did not want to go to Egypt, which is no longer as we once knew it. It was absent from the Arab summit in Damascus, and it recently hosted Dr. Samir Geagea."[7] The London daily Al-Quds Al-'Arabi reported that Bilal had said his country is opposed to Egypt's positions and policies, which are far from those of the Arabs.[8] It should be noted that the Syrian information ministry denied Bilal's reported criticisms of Egypt and stated that Syria sees Egypt as a sister Arab country. Syria also stressed that it had sent a delegation to the information ministers' summit, headed by Bilal's aide.[9]
In an article in the Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram, columnist Ashraf Al-'Ashri wrote a scathing response to Minister Bilal's statements. Al-'Ashri hinted that it is Syria and not Egypt that had strayed from Arab interests in favor of an Iranian agenda, and called on Bilal to apologize.
Following are excerpts of the article:
Egypt Columnist: Syria Incited Hamas Leaders against Signing the National Reconciliation Document
"Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal's recent statements were disgraceful and unrestrained verbal [attacks]. He surprised us by saying that he did not want to set foot in Egypt, and that he did not want to participate in the summit of Arab information ministers at the Arab League headquarters [in Cairo] last week, in protest against Egypt's positions and as a sign of [his] reservations about its policies. He claimed that Egypt is no longer the Egypt we all knew, for it has abandoned its Arab positions and distanced itself from its Arab sisters, and because its policy is no longer that which characterized it in the past. And recently it even hosted Samir Geagea within its borders, as well as his friends in the Lebanese opposition to Syria.
"The statements are not only an expression of Mr. Bilal's positions, but of the positions of his government and its leaders in Damascus. They demand, first and foremost, a serious, level-headed answer [from Egypt], rather than combative words and media and political insults, such as those Damascus has been using with Egypt since Hizbullah's war against Israel in July 2006, and later during the Gaza war at the beginning of last year – culminating in [Syria's] interference with the Hamas leaders in Damascus, with whom it devised a scheme, inciting them to refuse to sign the Egyptian document for Palestinian reconciliation in Cairo. Moreover, [Damascus] also slandered Egypt and gave the green light to Hamas's generals and others to hurl arrows, curses, and invective at Egypt and to constantly condemn it, in order to damage it and its status. Likewise, it strove to sow strife between Egypt and many of the Arab countries, in accordance with the Iranian agenda, planned by the greatest of all blasphemers, war-mongers, and fire-starters, Ahmadinejad in Tehran...
"We wonder which Arab country has begun conspiring against its Arab sisters, and is tailoring its decisions and its dubious agenda to those of the Iranian ally, contrary to national Arab interests – which until recently were an ideal on which Damascus prided itself day and night. Which Arab country has abandoned the national interests of the ummah and made bedfellows of the Persians and Safavids, contrary to the interests of Egypt and the Gulf states, on the pretext of seeking a strategic alliance and forming regional blocs and pacts, which are far removed from Arab interests and rights.
"Mr. Bilal, slinging arrows at Egypt is no way to act. The verbal arrows and combative words, the accusations of apostasy and curses do not build up the homeland, do not establish friendly relations in the Arab League, and do not preserve [even] minimal solidarity there. For this, an immediate apology is required."[10]
[1] Al-Ahram (Egypt), June 14, 2010.
[2] Regarding recent tensions in Egypt-Syria relations, see MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No.591, "Syrian Daily Challenges Egypt's Status in Arab World," February 24, 2010, Syrian Daily Challenges Egypt's Status in Arab World.
[3] Roz Al-Yousef (Egypt), June 15, 2010.
[4] Al-Watan (Syria), June 14, 2010.
[5] Dar Al-Khalij (U.A.E.), June 21, 2010.
[6] Al-Mustaqbal (Lebanon), June 22, 2010.
[7] Al-Afkar (Lebanon), Issue No. 1455, July 5, 2010.
[8] Al-Quds Al-'Arabi (London), July 5, 2010.
[9] http://sns.sy, July 6, 2010.
[10] Al-Ahram (Egypt), July 5, 2010.
