Egypt. Newly appointed prime minister Hisham Qandil has reportedly chosen candidates for a majority of the open cabinet positions, and will present his choices to President Morsi this week. The formation of the cabinet has been marked by repeated delays, but the full roster is expected to be announced within the next week. Read more »

Today, Secretary Clinton speaks at an event at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, held in collaboration with CFR and CNN, on the subject of genocide prevention. I wish that a major Arab country was the host for this event.

Last week I visited the West Bank and Israel, where I met people from varied walks of life. In conversations with young Arabs, I was saddened to hear that Holocaust denial continues to be part of the normative mindset among so many in such an important part of the world. Their grievances with the modern State of Israel are real, but this does not give them the mandate to rewrite history. Read more »

Egypt. Egyptians today are recalling the 1952 military coup that brought the Free Officers to power and set the stage for decades of military dominance in Egyptian affairs. Some activists have called for protests today against efforts by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to retain power in Egypt despite the election of a civilian president, Mohammed Morsi. Read more »

I am in Jerusalem this week.

This city, its surroundings, and claims by both Arabs and Jews on its territories make it the epicenter of a conflict that stirs the strongest of emotions. Much of the anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism prevalent in this region is linked directly to Arab perceptions of injustice and humiliation meted out to them by the ongoing Israeli occupation and the unprecedented support Israel enjoys from the United States. In contrast, almost all my conversations with Jewish friends here reflect a deep existential angst. Who can blame them? The walls of this ancient city and its varied renovations after different conquests are testament to the persecution and mass killings of Abraham’s first children, the Jews. Read more »

Egypt. An Egyptian administrative court will hear arguments this week on the legality of the committee charged with writing the new constitution. The hearing had been scheduled for September but was moved up, fueling speculation that the ruling will be politicized as a part of the ongoing power struggle between the military and President Mohammed Morsi’s nascent government. Field Marshal Tantawi’s statement yesterday that the military would not allow a “certain group” to dominate Egypt indicates the military has no plans to back down. Read more »

Egypt. The constituent assembly continues to meet this week to discuss the writing of Egypt’s new constitution. Although the military’s constitutional decree—issued before the presidential election—has left the assembly’s future in doubt, members are moving forward to form subcommittees covering topics such as basic constitutional principles, rights and freedoms, system of government, and regulatory bodies. Read more »