In a speech broadcast on state television marking the 74th anniversary of the July 23, 1952 Revolution, Egyptian President El-Sisi delivered several messages. Most centered on showcasing what he deemed his domestic achievements since 2014. He stated, “Since 2014, Egypt has embarked with unwavering determination on a journey of comprehensive development and progress befitting its stature and its people,” noting that the country “confronted and defeated terrorism without ceasing its construction efforts.” By this, he refers to the exclusion, persecution, and brutalization of Islamists, contrasted with the entrenchment of state secularism and the fostering of corruption and moral decay under the banner of freedom of belief—asserting, “Furthermore, we have cemented freedom of belief.” To justify his failure to attend to the people’s needs or lift the country out of poverty and deprivation, he enumerated what he considered achievements, “We built modern infrastructure, eliminated informal settlements, established new cities, reclaimed desert lands, constructed conventional and renewable power plants, and intensified oil and gas exploration efforts to bolster our position as a regional energy hub.”

In doing so, he expects people to disbelieve their own eyes and doubt their senses; for poverty, disease, hunger, and the absence of the barest essentials of life have become the hallmarks of daily existence in Egypt. Millions go to sleep hungry and sick, hundreds of thousands lack shelter, and millions inhabit nothing but mud-brick dwellings, cemeteries, and dilapidated buildings—all amidst soaring prices that have turned securing a daily meal into a dream for many families. The lives of the people of Egypt have become a purgatory of slow death; yet, El-Sisi appears before us to speak of his achievements and the state of the country as if describing a land we do not recognize!

On the foreign front, he has cast himself as a hero for sparing the country from regional wars—specifically alluding to the war waged by the Jewish entity against Gaza and the potential conflict involving the US and the Jewish entity against Iran. He conveniently forgets that his stance of neutrality—or rather, complicity—with the Jewish entity during its war on Gaza was one of utter shame and disgrace. He ought to be ashamed to even hint at it, lest the people of Egypt and Muslims worldwide be reminded of the magnitude of his criminality: withholding the Egyptian army from coming to the aid of their oppressed brethren in Gaza, and even assisting the Jewish entity in tightening its grip on the mujahideen there.

Even as he hears leaders of the Jewish entity openly declare their Talmudic dreams of a state spanning the region between the two rivers, he does nothing to shatter those dreams or drive such satanic delusions from their minds. Sinai remains demilitarized, ensuring the Jewish entity’s border with Egypt stays secure while leaving Sinai a vulnerable flank through which Egypt could be struck at any moment. Instead of harnessing the spirit of Jihad rising within the Ummah—sparked by the mujahideen of Gaza—and capitalizing on the widespread public and global outrage over the Jewish entity’s crimes to unleash the mighty army of Egypt, end the suffering of our people in Gaza and all of Palestine, and liberate them from the Jewish entity, he instead boasts of upholding the humiliating peace treaty with that very entity. Regarding the war waged by America and the Jewish entity against Iran, he observes how America pounced on Iran—despite the immense services the regime had rendered it over decades—simply because it demanded that Iran transform into an obedient servant and leave the country’s oil and gas wealth open to plunder by American corporations, much like what happened with Venezuela. Yet, despite witnessing this and seeing the fate of those who rely on America—a power that honors neither pacts nor past favors—he insists on maintaining a relationship defined by subservience, dependence, and the offering of tributes of obedience and loyalty. He remains indifferent to the consequences should America decide, at any moment, to discard him. He boasts, “Egypt has pressed on with its journey despite the dire circumstances, immense pressures, and unprecedented challenges surrounding it in a region roiling with wars and successive crises that have devastated many nations; and despite significant economic losses, Egypt has not wavered from its goal of building the future and safeguarding its assets.”

In a display of poor judgment and shortsightedness, he imagines that “soft” threats—wrapped in seven layers of soft linen—might actually work against a savage, criminal entity like the Jewish entity, or an arrogant, colonialist, and domineering power like America! He declares, “No one can harm Egypt or its assets, thanks to the awareness of its people and the strength of its soldiers,” asserting that it “will remain an impregnable fortress and a pillar of security and stability.” Amidst all this, El-Sisi’s primary concern is ensuring the continued backing of the security apparatus and military commanders—hence his expressions of gratitude toward them. El-Sisi perceives the grave dangers surrounding Egypt and the region under Trump’s arrogant leadership; he observes the encroachment of the Jewish entity, its constant talk of reshaping the Middle East, and its preparations to curtail the influence of Egypt and Turkey. Yet, he contents himself—and those around him—with assurances of Egypt’s readiness to confront aggression should it occur, as if readiness were a matter of wishful thinking rather than concrete action!

A wise person learns from the experiences of others. Reality confirms that aggression by the Jews against Egypt is merely a matter of time. Experience has proven that the America to which El-Sisi pledges allegiance would feel no remorse for him or his associates if it saw its interests aligned with the schemes of the Jewish entity—an entity the West established as its forward base in the Middle East. Had El-Sisi and his regime possessed true wisdom, they would have struck the Jewish entity before it could strike them.

However, how could they possess reason or discernment when subservience to others has blinded their hearts and minds? They have become like those who stay behind. Allah (swt) said,

[رَضُوا بِأَن يَكُونُوا مَعَ الْخَوَالِفِ وَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ]

“Content to be with those who remain behind, and a seal has been set upon their hearts, so they do not understand” [TMQ Surah At-Tawbah: 87]. This compels the sincere officers and commanders within the Egyptian army to take the initiative and lead the country toward Islam, dignity, and liberation before it is too late. Allah (swt) said,

[كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ فَنَادَوْا وَلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ]

“How many a generation We destroyed before them, and they cried out, but it was no longer the time for escape” [TMQ Surah Saad: 3].

* Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Egypt