Egyptian-American Analyst Magdi Khalil: Second Wave of Arab Spring Inevitable

Egyptian-American political analyst Magdi Khalil said in a video that was uploaded to the Internet on March 13, 2019 that the Arab people are still angry and that tremendous effort is being exerted to oppress them and prevent another wave of the Arab Spring. Khalil said, however, that another wave of the Arab Spring is inevitable, whether it happens tomorrow or in 20 years. Khalil explained that Islam, in addition to Arabic and Bedouin culture, is a significant factor in the Middle East that might delay the second wave of the Arab Spring because it is incompatible and runs contrary to democracy, liberty, human dignity, human rights, and religious freedom.

Magdi Khalil: We can say that what is happening in the Middle East today is that the Arab peoples are angry, that there is suppressed anger boiling beneath the surface, and that enormous and tremendous effort is being exerted to oppress the people and prevent another wave of the Arab Spring from taking place. However, the Arab Spring will definitely repeat itself. Will it happen tomorrow? Or the day after tomorrow? A year from now? In two years? In 10 years? In 20 years? [Such periods of time] are insignificant in the history of a nation. The same thing happened in the "European Spring." It took decades for the "European Spring" to become a true democratic reality, and until there were real changes and real liberties. However, there are two significant factors in the Middle East: the deep roots of autocracy and Islam. Islam is not compatible with democracy and liberties. These are the two factors. The first of the two factors – autocracy – existed also in Europe. The second factor was not present in Europe – the Islamic, Arabic, and Bedouin culture, which runs counter to liberties, human dignity, democracy, human rights, and religious freedom. This is the factor that might delay the second wave of the Arab Spring for some time.