CAIRO: The 56th conference of the International Liberal Organization ended on Saturday in Cairo, but not before it raised controversy among the attendees and members over the recent article published in the Wall Street Journal that described Egyptian Liberals and the prominent liberal writers as “anti- Semitic.” A number of intellectuals lashed out at the article, which received much Arab and Egyptian scorn.

The conference, which was held under the theme ” Education in the 21st century” on Friday and Saturday at the Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel and hosted by the Democratic Front Party in its first ever session in Cairo, saw the al-Wafd and al-Ghad Parties and some 106 other parties from around the world converge to discuss issues pertaining to the so-called global liberal political parties. Also attending the conference were 250 international figures from 50 European and Arab countries.

But controversy erupted after two Egyptian liberal activists sent a letter – few days before the conference – to the Wall Street Journal, describing Egyptian liberal politicians and figures as “anti-Semitic” and individuals who do not differentiate between Jews and Israelis. The pointed particularly to Sekina Fouad, the prominent writer, and Ayman Nour, the leading politician who has begun an anti-succession campaign in the country, along with the al-Wafd Party as a party and a printed newspaper.

For his part, Osama Ghazali Harb, Chairman of the Democratic Front Party, stated during a meeting with journalists after the closing session, that the Front had won a majority vote from members as an active and working member in the International Liberal Organization. The decision of the membership of the front in the Organization came after raising a highly controversial debate in a closed session, which was held during the first day of the conference, which was attended by Harb and Fouad, where the members of the conference discussed what was published in the American newspaper about Fouad and Harb.

Harb noted in his speech that they were surprised by Fouad’s articles that have been translated and distributed to the members of the conference as proof she is anti-Semitic, which is in incompatible with the conference’s principles and ideas. The members of the conference, in turn, asked the writer a number of questions. Fouad emphasized in her speech that she is not anti-Semitic, but she was and still is, “against the Israeli policy of violating the rights of the Palestinian people.”

She added that “this is what I believe in. If you liberals are not judging the Israeli policies in Palestine, this is unfortunate.”

In this context, President of the ILO, Lord Alderdis, commented, saying: “Liberals are not with the policies of Israel and they condemn it significantly.” After the Fouad speech, she was applauded by the audience and members who voted for the activation of the Democratic Front for membership in the organization.

Three members of the Swedish delegation abstained from the voting.

The controversy that came from the conference highlights the growing public relations dilemma that has plagued Egyptian and Arab politicians in recent years, Harb said on the sidelines of the conference. He believes that through a more concerted effort to speak to the world, “our ideas and our beliefs will be understood.”

BM

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