by Shimon Samuels and Alex Uberti

Paris, 28 April 2025

CSW-Europe has come across yet another antisemitic article dated 17 March and published in Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper, this one entitled “Zionist Penetration”, written by Laila Takla.

Prof. Takla, who is a Copt, member of the Egyptian People’s Assembly and of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, presents herself as “promoter of Muslim-Christian relations”. In her soothing words, “whether you are Christian or Muslim, allow no place in your heart, mind and conduct for fanaticism, hate and exclusion.”

Yet, although she insists to “make efforts to protect the oppressed wherever they are, and the rights of minorities: the Negroes in the US; the Black Natives in South Africa; Muslims in the Philippines; Christians in Nigeria; Kurds in Türkiye and Iraq; the Palestinians; the Jews to build their houses of worship” ... this is patronizing, biased and hypocritical language. For example, she seems to ignore that the Philippines are threatened by Muslim terrorists, that Nigerian Christians are murdered by Boko Haram, that the Kurds are persecuted by Islamists, Arabs, Turks, Iranians, that the Palestinians’ first oppressors are their own terrorist factions (Hamas, FPLP, PIJ, Al-Aqsa Brigades, etc.). Last, but not least, what “houses of worship for the Jews” does she refer to? Those in Israel, or the hundreds hastily abandoned when Jews were expelled from Muslim countries (her Egypt, and Libya, Iraq, Yemen or Syria, among others) in the aftermath of Israel’s independence?

Takla shows her true face in the Al-Ahram article, a pinnacle of Jew-hatred and conspiratorial fanaticism. She mentions the “warnings” issued by Benjamin Franklin – i.e. the antisemitic speech falsely attributed to that President, also known as “the Franklin Forgery” – and former Congressman Paul Findley, who was a staunch anti-Israel and “anti-Jewish lobby” advocate since the early ‘70s, and supporter of Islamic interests in the USA. She states: “these were not the only ones to warn of the danger of Zionism threatening the United States and the world.”

In fact, she announces “to have found another warning” from an anonymous self-proclaimed “free American citizen who loves America”, whose rant fulfils her antisemitic lust: “Let us now strike, as men of undefeatable national strength, against the cause of Jewish domination... If you cannot contribute in action, contribute to the prevention of the danger by word or in writing.” This is a call to violence, or at least political scapegoating!

Thus, in pure conspiracy mode, Takla concludes that “The research confirms the veracity of President Benjamin’s prophecy [sic!]. The Jews, through their devious schemes, were able to seize control of gold, oil, minerals, commercial, industrial, and agricultural companies, banks, supplies, grain and wheat stores, the film industry, newspapers, radio, publishing houses, and news agencies, in addition to gaining complete control over the presidents... Wilson, Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson... all evidence and events confirm that the Jewish octopus had extended its tentacles as far as possible...”

This is reminiscent of the language and caricatures used by the Nazis to justify the Holocaust.

Al-Ahram sadly manifests its penchant for antisemitic filth, again... but will the UNESCO World Heritage Committee react to such hypocrisy, hate and discrimination?

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Dr Shimon Samuels is Emeritus Director for International Relations of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre
Alex Uberti is an independent researcher and consultant

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