This is the 12th edition of “An Eye on Talk Shows”, documenting the most significant issues covered by Egyptian talk shows through the second half of 2017 last month, December. Of which, the most significant is probably the attempt to assassinate the ministers of defense and interior during their presence in Arish Airport in North Sinai. As usual, the coverage of such an important incident was different, lacking professionalism and neutrality, because of the lack of information that was either incomplete or completely absent. In addition to that, most talk show anchors were obviously not professional, taking cover behind big slogans like standing by the country’s side and defending, ignoring all advice that the best line of defense for a nation is creating the space for free media that handles the reality of the situations, and that the best reform is by publishing all opinions and allowing diversity in media.
Saturday December 16th
Iran is a state of war, just like Israel
The issue of candidacy for the Egyptian presidency remained in discussion.
Amr Adib, in his “Everyday” show on ON-E, stressed that the potential candidate, Field Marshal Ahmad Shafiq, was not under house arrest and could go anywhere, and that he was still serious about his candidacy, mentioning that Shafiq intends to create such a fuss around himself for that purpose.
And to continue attacking Turkey, Adib dedicated a part of his episode for that, pointing out a media report that revealed Turkey’s support for Israel against Jerusalem, because it exports 30% of the iron and cement to Israel, which are used to build the Apartheid Wall that separates Jerusalem from the neighboring areas of Palestine.
He also attacked Qatar, and asked about its role in regaining Jerusalem, while in the same episode, Adib denounced Muhammad Badie, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, for demanding that the judge set him free to liberate Jerusalem:
“We have been unfair to him” Said Adib “He asked the judge to free him to go to Jerusalem and set it free now as we are lions. You guys ruled for a whole year without even crawling to Ismailia, the Muslim Brotherhood is 80 years old and Jerusalem has not been set free, even when Morsi ruled, he sent a letter to Israeli saying from your friend Mohammad Morsi. Now you want to liberate it?”
In his sarcastic way, Adib asked the judge to set Badie and all those accused in the Rabaa case free, and send them to Jerusalem to liberate it.
As for Ahmad Moussa, through his “On my Responsibility” show on Sada El-Balad, he interviewed the former head of security in Alexandria during the Jan25 revolution. That man who was, among others, accused of killing the protesters.
The show host agreed with his guest to attack the revolution and defame the revolutionaries, and blamed the Muslim Brotherhood leaders. The former head of security also said that Mubarak’s regime was the reason for ruining the relationship between the police and the people, mentioning that he – Mubarak – has been acquitted during the first days of Morsi’s presidency.
“I saw him moved in the lorry” Said the former head of security “My son was in front of me in the trial cage, to take the shoe hits instead of me”
Moussa neither achieved balance nor objectivity in his episode, as he only invited guests with one angle which is to attack and accuse the revolutionaries, and inviting also a media person called “Tamer Khashab”, who stated that “January media” was the reason for the division in the police and that its ultimate goal was the armed forces.
At the end of the episode, Moussa said:
“I don’t mind criticism, and I only care for my credibility”
Saturday is considered the beginning of the week for “This is the Capital” show hosted by Lamees El-Hadidi on CBC. She used that episode to propagate for the Egyptian regime and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, through showing off several projects as their achievements, including the natural gas field.
El-Hadidi stressed that the field’s productivity had already begun, and showed the comment made by the Minister of Petroleum, Trade and Industry, on the field and its effect on both industry and commerce.
Through that episode also, the issues of Habib El-Adli giving himself up to police and the new medical insurance law, that demands cigarettes price increase, were also discussed.
Use the refined sea water instead of depending on the River Nile
Sunday December 17th
That day coincided with the decisions and discussions of the Security Council on the issue of the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem, and the American use of the veto against the Egyptian draft resolution to condemn the decision of US President Donald Trump.
Adib was weird when he started his “Everyday” show episode on ON-E, by attacking Turkey and its policy, and the Muslim Brotherhood, then actually thanking Turkey for being on Egypt’s side and its cooperation with Egypt inside the Security Council to stop the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem.
Adib said that, it was for the first time, that the Turkish stood by the Egyptians, and that both the Turkish government and nation actually stood by Egyptians and the Egyptian government in the Security Council, in favor of a decision to cancel transferring the American embassy to Jerusalem.
‘That is right!” commented Adib “A respectable stance”
Adib stressed that the Egyptian-Turkish cooperation was rare but favorable, and it was a respectable thing for which we should support and appreciate.
He opened his show saying that the Egyptian diplomacy welcomed it sincerely, pointing out that there was a diplomatic Egyptian-Turkish cooperation, commenting:
“To hell with the Muslim Brother, and Long live Jerusalem”
Adib also discussed through the last segment of the episode, the issue of water security in Egypt. Instead of stating the facts regarding the crisis, and what the government had offered so far, he went on to blame the people for over using the water, and that people should use refined sea water in the future, praising the opening of water refining projects, and stressing that Egyptians should deal with the situation “as if there was no Nile”
Meanwhile, Moussa did not discuss the Jerusalem crisis and the American use of the Veto against the Egyptian decision, but, again, he attacked the Muslim Brotherhood, based on a quote by Field Marshal Abdel Moneim Al-Tarras, a member of the former Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
He said, in a symposium held by the Ministry of Endowments, that the president Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi went on with June 30 in defense of Islam after it was abused, and pointed out that there were differences raised between the armed forces and the presidency at the time, including the plan to settle 12 thousand Palestinians in Sinai, and the second disagreement was in the Sinai Canal region project, which the Brotherhood wanted to grant the Qatari regime for 99 years, as well as the training of the Free Syrian Army in Egypt with Qatari funding.
Moussa quoted Al-Tarras that President Sisi knew everything about Egypt, and no one knew what he knew because he was the head of an agency that collected information.
Moussa also interviewed Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, former Minister of Antiquities.
Monday December 18th
Adib continued his sarcastic coverage for the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem and America’s use of the Veto in favor of Israel, saying that Israel apparently had “CDs and videos” on America, and that America would remain using the Veto to stop the peace process in any direction towards Palestinian rights.
He also said that the Arab counties had not celebrated the international day of Arabic language as much as it had been celebrated in Israel, pointing out that Arabic is one of the official languages in Israel, and that 20% of its population speak Arabic.
He added that Israel had not only stolen the land, but moved to stealing the language from Arabs.
He criticized the American delegation to the United Nations at the Security Council, who defended Israel against the Egyptian decision about Jerusalem:
“She actually said that the Security Council was unfair to Israel” said Adib “she wouldn’t have defended her own mother like that”
He asked again about the reason for the continuous American support to Israel, mentioning that America had not used the Veto in the past seven years, except to defend Israel:
“I don’t know what it is that Israel has on America to make it defend Israel like this!”
And while the whole world was on fire because of the Security Council decisions and the American use of the Veto, Moussa, on his “On my Responsibility” show, actually discussed the increase of the price of poultry, and interviewed the head of poultry division and a one of its traders.
He also interviewed several guests, and allowed each of them a few minutes to highlight the role of the President and the Cabinet in reducing prices, including the prices of cigarettes, dollars and commodities.
At the end of the episode, Moussa presented the decision of the President of the Security Council on air without commenting on it.
Tuesday December 19th
That night, the episodes of talk shows coincided with the announcement of targeting the ministers of defense and interior at the Arish airport with a mortar shell.
Adib tried to indirectly accuse Iran to be the reason such weapons were abundant in the Arab region.
He also criticized the Iranian politics in the region:
“These people are just calling for it” said Adib “They desperately want a war, and practicing the policy of provocation by firing rockets into the region. And I want to tell you that the war is so close, it is just around the corner.”
He then added that Iran wants to get to a war as soon as possible, which is on the edge:
“Iran is a country of war, just like Israel.” Said Adib “they are perfect when you talk about militating the whole nations and death for the Saudis and others, and they want a long war that no one survives.”
He explained that Iran supports the Houthis with missiles, and supports terrorist elements in the region, in order to record provocative strikes that drag the Arab region into a war with Iran.
And without any evidence, Adib pre-empted the investigative authorities in declaring that the Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist groups that support it were behind the operation.
As for Moussa, he addressed the attack on the Arish airport, and told the terrorist:
“I’m talking to the terrorists who fired the shell at the Arish airport, Jerusalem is not in Arish”
He also said that there were plans and agendas targeting Egypt to be a country of destruction and devastation, reciting the statement by the grand Mufti, that Islam is innocent from the actions of those sinners, who attack the security of the country and the people. He also accused the Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey and Qatar of being behind the attack.
The army has received 1700 terrorist attacks through the past years
Wednesday December 20th
The talk shows continued analyzing the attack targeting the ministers of interior and defense in Arish airport.
Adib started his analysis after the statement from ISIS claiming responsibility of the attack and showing information about the Cornet missiles that targeted the ministers.
He, afterwards, accused Russia of supplying weapons to ISIS and other terrorist groups, and that those groups in Sinai came from Syria and Iraq and came to Egypt through its borders, declaring that the army had faced 1700 terrorist attacks through the past few years.
Adib used the upfront presentation of such information with neither official statements nor even interviewing an international military expert to analyze the situation, and the episode was empty of any live footage.
He closed the episode with a domestic news like the penicillin crisis, talked about the Palestinian cause, and interviewed singers Eman Abdel Ghani and Noha Hafez in love of the late singer …..
Meanwhile, Moussa addressed the Palestinian dilemma at the beginning of his show, and the Egyptian decision in the Security Council, while attacking Turkey and Qatar for no reason:
“Erdogan’s ancestors are thieves who stole the contents of the Prophet’s room in Medina!”
He added that there were leaks that Qatar would not vote in favor of the Egyptian decision to keep a promise to America, without mentioning any sources for what he was saying
Saturday December 23rd
With the beginning of the last week of December, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced the opening of a few projects in the Suez Canal region, which were 4 underground tunnels.
The talk shows rushed into a live footage of the incident, and the whole coverage was emotional describing it to be a pride for all Egyptians. They talked about the achievement without presenting one engineer reading or figures explaining how that would benefit Egyptians.
Adib expressed his pride with the opening of grand projects in Suez Canal and developing Sinai:
“We are now witnessing the current administration executing its will on the ground” said Adib “Both Sadat and Mubarak had the will, but it did not transform into real actions”
And rather than talking about the economic impact, how to rebuild and the benefit to the citizen, he talked about it as a state achievement, adding that there was a new administration in Egypt that had said let me engage seriously and actively in my country. He pointed out that the 100 billion pounds that the President had talked about to have new projects while he was opening the Sinai project that day, were going to projects that were hard to move.
Adib then added that the Egyptian administration was sending a clear message that it was dominating and would not be scared of anything, through big national projects that were to be executed on Egyptian land:
“There will be projects till the last inch of Egypt” said Adib “And in a matter of months you will all see huge Egyptian equipment in clear places of Sinai”
In the same context, Moussa started the live footage of the opening ceremony, and received phone calls from experts highlighting the significance of the role of the President in those achievements, and from the Arab Contractors company. He also interviewed Marshal Mohab Memeish.
And he dedicated the last segment of the episode to respond to the Turkish President Erdogan and criticized him a lot:
“You better change the name of the Israeli embassy street to Palestine” said Moussa “instead of talking about changing the name of the street of the American embassy in Cairo”
And breaking all rules of professionalism when discussing any topic, Moussa resorted to improper slang when commented on the Sudanese decision to give Turkey control over one of its Red Sea Islands:
“Why don’t you ask your ancestors who used to protect Sudan” asked Moussa
He also stressed that the former President Mohammad Morsi was a traitor who had decided to let Halayeb and Shalateen go in a previous visit by the Sudanese President Omar Al-Basheer
Sunday December 24th
The topics were diverse that night over the talk shows, and no single topic dominated.
Adib addressed news that he described to be “shallow” like the extensive purchase of salt by Egyptians through the last three years costing more than 3 million US dollars.
He discussed, in his Essence of books segment, with writer Youssef Zidan, the book “History of the Jews in Arab Countries”. In that segment he discussed how Egypt was not really applying the peace treaty with Israel, pointing out that Egypt was a big country that should abide by a treaty when signed.
Zidan added to those saying “no to normalization’ that he said “no to forgery”, explaining that normalization was to look at things for what they normally were.
Zidan stressed that the normalization with Israel should be rethought and if it had appeared to be useful to go to Israel then we go, if not then no.
While Moussa, gave his attention to defend former President Mubarak.
And the episode was biased in addressing the situation, and he also described the media to be lying and spreading rumors about Mubarak’s wealth. He also interviewed lawyer Faried El-Deeb to explain that wealth and that he –Mubarak – did not own anything and that the statements and decisions had been published from Switzerland about his wealth were all not true.
Moussa did not commit to neutrality and factionalism, and attacked all those who described Mubarak to be laid off saying:
“Egypt now is living off rumors, the erratic media, and the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood”
Monday December 25th
Nothing specific dominated the talk shows that night, except for some light news, despite the ignition of the Palestinian crisis and the arrest of the girl Ahed El-Tamimi, and the solidarity of countries and organizations with the girl and the Palestinian cause and its dominance over social media platforms.
Adib discussed Egyptian and Chinese aviation hostesses, and the statements by the minister of transportation about the increase of the price of the subway tickets. He also commented on a competition held in KSA which is “Fast Chess”, for which there was a request for visas by the Qatari team which includes Mohammad Nasser El-Saied, explaining that the Qatari football team includes three Egyptians among other nationalities.
He attacked Qatar for its political differences with Egypt, saying:
“He wants to send someone under the Qatari flag to win the tournament, so he gets the best person in the world in the game and gives him a passport, as if nationality was that easy”
He explained that Qatar did not necessarily have to compete since it did not have any players.
He also explained that Qatar could have competed without winning, pointing out that Qatar wanted to just buy everything.
Adib went on to say:
“I do not think Turkish people will fight me, because they have their own money fight. They have discovered that the man who runs them gets paid so much.”
In a few minutes, Adib presented the case of Ahed El-Tamimi and called on the Egyptian regime to intervene to resolve the issue of Palestinian girl Ahed El-Tamimi, who had been detained with members of her family inside the prisons of the Israeli occupation.
He considered the girl to be an icon for resistance in Palestine, which shows the exposure of all sorts of abuse in prisons, pointing out that Israeli journalists are using their pens for that goal.
As for Moussa, he interviewed the former Palestinian foreign minister, to comment on the Palestinian issue and the decision to transfer the American embassy to Jerusalem
He also interviewed Lawyer Faried El-Deeb, Mubarak’s lawyer, who said that Ahed El-Tamimi who was held in the Israeli prisons was an icon for the resistance, mentioning his willingness to defend her pro bono
El-Deeb added that it was premature to decide whether to stand by that girl’s side or not.
Moussa also addressed through that episode, the statements by the Egyptian Minister of Irrigation during a meeting in the House of Representatives on water security. He described the minister’s words to be “rubbish”, and did not give the Ministry the right of reply
Tuesday December 26th
That was the end of 15 lives with the death penalty after a military trial.
Adib used improper language when he described those where who were against the verdict, and said they were “despicable”
He also said that the military court was very late with that death sentence, and attacked the Muslim Brotherhood while stressing that they were mourning. He – with no single evidence – accused the 15 persons to be members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
While Moussa went to discussing the Sudanese Turkish Qatari meetings, and the Sudanese decision to give control over one of its Red Sea islands to Turkey.
Moussa attacked the three countries, and described the Turkish President to be a Nazi.
Then he violated all media standards of discussion, and started to attack them and highlight the Egyptian role in supporting the Sudanese people in Egypt saying:
“Sometimes the Sudanese President just looses it, and this is Egypt. No one dares to think s/he can attack Egypt because it is Egypt”
As for El-Hadidi, she discussed the signed treaty between Turkey and Sudan and said:
“Turkey has been working in using all countries to dominate”
She then stressed that Sudan had been exporting terrorism to Egypt through the past years, and recently started to do it from the South.
Wednesday December 27th
The explosion in the City of St. Petersburg dominated the talk shows that night.
Adib took advantage of the explosion in Russia, one of the strongest countries in security, to justify the security defects in Egypt.
He stressed on the fact that the terrorist and military attacks are much harder and more violent, explaining that terrorism was charchterized by treachery and deception.
Then he continued the episode by criticizing those who manage the Egyptian museums, pointing out that there were numerous thefts in those museums and no one was arrested till then.
Adib focused on the huge budgets that were dedicated for those museums and that they got nothing in return, and added that a lot of Egyptians didn’t even know about those places and hardly visited them. He commented:
“Why are we fooling each other?”
Meanwhile, Moussa addressed what had been mentioned in the American congress about the Egyptian legislations regarding Christians, attacking America because he considered that to be a new pressure on Egypt as a payback for its stances against America.
Moussa praised Pope Tawadros for refusing the American interference in an Egyptian matter.
Moussa then accused America of using certain issues like human rights and Christians to pressure Egypt. He continued the episode by showing the achievement of President Sisi, saying:
“Every Egyptian owes President Sisi”
Ossama Kamal, in a similar context, launched a huge attack on the Sudanese ambassador in Cairo Abdel Mahmoud Abdel Halim and the Sudanese Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States after both had improperly described the Egyptian media.
Kamal added that Egypt had repeatedly supported and defended Sudan with its problems and dilemmas, and that Egypt had supported the Sudanese political leadership. He stressed:
“Egypt will not remain silent towards building a Turkish military base 200 kilometers near its borders”
