Morsi’s Wife Visits Raba’a | Nour Party Redlines Egypt’s “Islamic Identity”


The fallout continued from the failed discussions for a political solution to the crisis in Egypt. A day after the Egyptian government announced that its talks with American and European diplomats had not led to progress with the Muslim Brotherhood, the state-owned Al-Akhbar newspaper ran a headline reading “Egypt Rejects the American Satan’s Sermon.”

Despite increased tension from the broken expectations of the negotiation efforts, the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr began with no major incidents. A Coptic bishop, meanwhile, claimed that the Coptic Pope’s schedule had been curtailed due to security issues. Attacks on Christians have been on the increase, with several acts of violence by Islamists being committed as retribution for Christians’ perceived support of the military’s removal of Morsi.

Nour Party spokesman Nader Bakkar noted that any questioning of Egypt’s Islamic identity via constitutional reform would lead to the withdrawal of its support for the transitional government. The Nour Party was the sole major Islamist organization to back the military’s actions of July 3.

Naglaa Mahmoud, Muhammad Morsi’s wife, spoke at the main stage at Raba’a al-Adaweya. “He is coming back, God willing,” she said. Protestors in the square marked the beginning of the Eid al-Fitr holiday and the conclusion of Ramadan with celebrations on the site.