Following the over 1,400 Israeli deaths caused by Hamas strikes on Israel on October 7, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on October 15. Sisi said, "Mr. Secretary, you spoke about the crisis and you spoke as a Jewish person. Let me tell you that I am an Egyptian citizen, and I was born and raised in a neighborhood where we had Jewish neighbors," maybe in an attempt to head off the problem of antisemitism. Furthermore, Jews who had previously resided in Egypt were never subjected to persecution or abuse. Edmond Haddad is my name, Mr. President.

Four years before you were born, I was born in Cairo. I hate to inform you that I have firsthand knowledge of the falsity of your assertions. I am not alone; I no longer reside in Egypt. My family wasn't the only ones compelled to relocate. Since 1947, more than 1.3 million Jews have emigrated from Arab and Muslim nations in the Middle East. Just 25,000 Jews remain in Arab countries today. In 1948, there were 1.37 million Muslims living in what was known as British Mandatory Palestine and more than 1.35 million Jews living in the Middle East. Today, 7.9 million Muslims live in the same region, which includes Israel, Gaza, Judea, and Samaria.

Stated differently, the Jewish population of Arab and Muslim countries was nearly wiped out, whilst the Palestinian Arab population grew by 574%. Allow me to explain what persecution and oppression are like: My uncle was sentenced to fifteen months in jail in 1947 for buying a rail ticket to Tel Aviv. My father suffered a broken arm in 1948 while attempting to stop his business from burning down. 1950 saw him beaten because of his religious beliefs. Jews working for Egyptian government agencies were sent on vacation and later fired in May of 1956. Gamal Abdel Nasser, the president of Egypt at the time, dared the "Jews" to come—not Zionists or Israelis, but Jews—when he declared the siege of Akaba. Egypt's Minister of Religious Affairs said on November 23, 1956, "

In mosques all around Egypt, imams recite this passage. My mother and I visited the bank in 1962 to create a savings account. The teller tossed back the money I handed him and informed me that Jews were not allowed to establish savings accounts in Egypt after noticing on my identity card that I was Jewish. My school's Muslim instructors frequently warned us not to discuss religion in class since Jews were not welcome in Egypt. All Jewish houses and belongings were seized in 1967. Every Jewish male was sent to a prison camp, where they would remain for three years or six months. All of the inmates were deported and their families were banished just before Nasser passed away.

I have condensed the testimonies of two relatives of mine, Ibrahim Farhi and my cousin Gamliel, who both spent time in Egyptian prisons: Every Jewish guy over eighteen was taken into custody by the authorities. Their assets, including automobiles, furniture, companies, and valuables, were seized or put up for sale. The detainees were sent to the Abu Zaabal jail. I was informed that "nobody was called by their name there." For the convicts, there were only women's names and no watches or shoes. The guards beat the detainees as they were made to strip and run about the yard.

They had shaved their heads. The majority were raped. They were served bread full of bugs and white cheese full of worms. Their families remained in the dark about the whereabouts of their loved ones for a full six months. The torment went on day and night. They weren't freed by Nasser until June 1970. Egyptian Jews of the period had a varied background in terms of education, money, religious practice, and political views. Because they could pay the necessary bribes, the richer members of the town opened department shops, started banks, and enjoyed unrestricted travel overseas. Due to the frequent rejection of their applications for Egyptian citizenship, the majority of Jews were stateless.

Many Jews attempted to integrate by converting to Islam or Christianity. Hebrew was not one of the languages spoken by Jews. Their opinions of the State of Israel were frequently conflicted. Even after Israel was driven from Egypt, others continued to criticize them. The majority of rich and middle-class Jews emigrated to the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and France. The majority of impoverished Jews moved to Israel. Jews endured constant harassment, insults, and mockery in Egypt. When they would ask them when they were leaving Egypt, the secret police would knock on their houses in the middle of the night. Had their tickets been purchased? They would have to go in less than a week. Following the 1956 conflict, more than 35,000 Jews were deported or banished.

 There were perhaps 2,000 Jews remaining in Egypt in 1967. There are just two Jews in the entire nation these days. President Sisi, the majority of Egyptians still despise Israel and Jews, despite the fact that you and a few other Egyptian military officers maintain tight ties with Israel. A member of the Egyptian group Tawfik Okasha was physically assaulted and banished in 2016 for having invited an Israeli envoy to supper at his residence. According to a 2023 study, 84% of Arabs who reside in nations where peace deals with Israel have been signed oppose the agreements.

 How can you sincerely claim, President Sisi, that Jews were not persecuted in Egypt or any other Arab or Muslim nation? I felt embarrassed to be Jewish when I was living in Egypt. I was enslaved in Egypt and only discovered my freedom after our departure. I missed my "comfortable" life, my house, and my school. Years passed before I realized that being able to live as a Jew and be proud of my background was a positive development in my life. It is hard for me to think that you, President Sisi, are ignorant of the events that have occurred in your nation and throughout the Muslim world. Such animosity still exists today.

The majority of Muslims still mock and denigrate Jews, as do Arab periodicals, TV programs, and motion pictures. Public schools in Egypt still employ textbooks that are filled with anti-Semitic sentiment. More than anybody else, President Sisi, you should comprehend Hamas and denounce it. After ousting previous president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, you locked up every member of the Muslim Brotherhood, the organization that served as a model for Hamas. You knew that they were a threat to Egypt. You of all people ought to be in a position to denounce Hamas for their actions. Just as the Muslim Brotherhood does not speak for Egyptians, neither do they speak for Palestinians. That's when you should say it.