"The world took a very interesting stand and in effect said that it is improper and inappropriate for a representative of a country like Egypt, a dictatorship that oppresses freedom and expression and art, to stand at the head of an organization entrusted with cultural cooperation and dedicated to promoting cultural dialogue."How about Aung Sang Suu Kyi from Burma? Rigoberta Menchu from Guatemala? Some of my greatest heroes are those who stand up against the dictatorial and repressive tendencies of their own governments. There is no greater hero of my time than Nelson Mandela who stood up to the repression of his government.
It is no more justified for an Israeli to condemn all Egyptians because he dislikes their government than it is for an Egyptian to condemn all Israelis because he dislikes the government of Israel.
As I see it, the stand was not against someone because he was from Egypt, but against Farouk Hosny because of the things he personally had said and done. Apparently the Egyptian Foreign Minister agrees with that judgment.
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Farouk Hosny apparently received telegrams from Israelis gloating over his defeat. How ugly is that. He is a high ranking official of his government who lost a closely fought election but received the support of half the nations represented on the Executive Board. Like any person, he must be upset at this time. Give him a break!
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