Former Egyptian FM Ahmed Aboul-Gheit: The Arab Spring Is the Arab Destruction

Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit called the Arab Spring the "Arab Destruction." "A great catastrophe threatens Egypt's border to the west," he said, in a February 17 interview on the Egyptian Sada Al-Balad TV. "Is this not destruction? Do we still want to call it an Arab "Spring"? Aboul-Gheit also talked about U.S. President Trump's pre-election pledge to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, saying that he would "be opening the gates of Hell."

Interviewer: "Trump's main declaration prior to his arrival at the White House was that he intended to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem..."

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit: "He will be opening the gates of Hell."

Interviewer: "Come again?"

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit: "He will be opening the gates of Hell. There are 1.3 to 1.5 billion Muslims who believe that Jerusalem and the (Al-Aqsa) Mosque have a very important place in their lives. There are 300-350 million Arabs for whom Jerusalem is a big deal.

[...]

"Ms. Condoleezza Rice wrote and President Bush Jr. said: 'Begin change and development in Egypt. Egypt is the leader of the Arab world. If Egypt awakens, all the Arabs will awaken. Develop Egypt. Let Egypt open up to democracy and to human rights.' These were all wonderful statements, but how can they be implemented in a society in which 60% of the women and 40% of the men are illiterate?"

[...]

Interviewer: "In the context of the Arab Spring..."

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit: "I didn't call it 'Spring.'"

Interviewer: "What did you call it?"

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit: "Some people got mad at me, but the truth was before our eyes. I called it the 'Arab Destruction,' because 350,000 people in Syria - and some say 400,000 or 500,000 - are dead. Between 9 and 11 million Syrians have been driven out of their homes - they are refugees in Europe, in Syria, or in Lebanon. In addition, 5.5 million Syrians are displaced within Syria itself. After ISIS appeared on the scene, tens of thousands of Iraqis... Since June 2014... This was a continuation of the Arab Spring, because the Syrian-Iraqi border was breached. Where is Al-Raqqah, the capital of ISIS? In Syrian territory. A great catastrophe threatens Egypt's border to the west. The Libyan state is gone. Is this not destruction? Do we still want to call it an Arab 'Spring'?"