He did not hinder the outreach, educational and religious activities of the Muslim Brotherhood; perhaps he could not. The Muslim Brotherhood, which spread in the social base and had influence on student clubs and professional chambers, entered the parliament in s despite all obstacles. Sufi groups were supported and the way was cleared for apolitical Salafist groups to break Ikhwan's influence.
Even though Egypt's economy was liberalized during the Mubarak era, a distorted economic structure was formed as the politics was not liberalized. The Mubarak family and their men saved billions of dollars by corruption, bribery and normal business. For example, it is said that Mubarak took serious bribes to sell Egyptian natural gas to Israel cheaper than the market price. The Mubarak family was profiting great financial gain by taking bribes from successful companies or as their compulsory partner.
Conglomerates that were uncooperative or growing uncontrolled could be bankrupted by the state. Such an unregulated regime had difficulty in attracting investment from outside. This unstable economic environment increased unemployment in the country, while also put workers under legal and economic pressure. After the revolution, the Cairo Court would convict Mubarak and his sons of corruption. When riots, which started in Tunisia at the end of , brought down the administration of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, strong protests began in Egypt, which was experiencing similar problems.
Father Mubarak, who previously wanted to make his son Gamal Mubarak, the president, did not support his son any more when protests did not stop despite people being killed. Although he appointed Omar Suleiman as vice president to gain the support of the army, the Egyptian army dismissed Mubarak from the office when demonstrations continued. With this move, which meant a kind of coup, the Egyptian army chose to save the ship the regime by sacrificing the captain.
But the military regime, which also protected Mubarak, kept him out of sight until he died, preventing him from being harassed. The two most important topics of Mubarak's foreign policy were security and priority of protecting the current regime.
Mubarak stood close to the U. He continued his cooperation with Israel without appearing much close to it. On the other hand, he developed good relations with the PLO, tried to mediate talks with Israel and assumed a negative attitude toward Hamas. In addition, Mubarak adopted a negative stance against the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and hosted the ousted shah, and established close ties with the Gulf states.
He believed that good relations with the U. Or when you were insulted and humiliated in the street, and had to take it quietly because the person in front of you had the power and connections. These were the small details crossing our minds and making us cry.
Will I finally be able to get my rights? Can my son actually secure a place in a good university, despite my lack of connections? It was a utopia, where all the societal rules that had become the norm in Egypt seemed to no longer apply.
In those 18 days, it was like people had returned to their innate goodness, fiercely loving and protecting each other. Christians would form a protective shield around Muslims so they could pray, girls could walk alone late at night, and everyone shared the same koshari plate, taking a spoon each.
There was one aim, one dream shared by all, regardless of class, age or political leanings. People were reluctant to leave the square even to shower and freshen up. Nobody wanted to leave that world. When the news came [about the resignation], people lifted each other, hugged each other and rejoiced, but they cried as they left. We walked so much that night. From the presidential palace, to Tahrir Square, we looked at every street and alley with fresh eyes.
We were drunk with the euphoria, believing in our strength and giddy with the excitement of possibility. I remember walking endlessly, feeling like I was documenting a moment in time, capturing the glimmer of hope that was throbbing across the city. Even the air smelled different that night and the following day. I kept taking deep breaths, marvelling at the instantaneous change. Everywhere you looked, people were laughing and smiling at each other.
With the happiness came a sense of ownership of this country. We went down the next day to pick up the rubbish, clearing up the streets after the late-night celebration. The possibilities seemed endless. We pass by Tahrir Square now and look away, unable to raise our heads. We went from the peak of happiness and hope to the depths of despair and darkness. Mubarak was forced to step down 18 days later. Just over a year after Mubarak's overthrow, Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist politician, won Egypt's first democratic presidential election.
The new president lasted less than a year in office. Amid mass protests, he was ousted in a military coup led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Gen Sisi went on to win two presidential elections. Morsi died in prison in In , Mubarak was sentenced to life imprisonment over the deaths of some of the protesters who were killed by security forces during the uprising a year earlier. Both he and his two sons were also convicted of corruption. But the more serious charges against Mubarak were later overturned and he was released in Mubarak: Egyptian statesman of war and peace.
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