The Role of Israel in Ayman Nour's Liberal Vision for Egypt

Abstract

In recent years, Ayman Nour has emerged as a prominent leader of the Egyptian liberal opposition. Although Israel is not at the focus of his discourse, it is, nevertheless, not entirely ignored. This article examines Nour's attitude toward Israel by analyzing his views on three inter-connected issues: (a) his views on the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty and normalizing relations with Israel; (b) the distinction between his approaches to the United States and to Israel; (c) his vision for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the future of Israeli-Egyptian relations. In his public activity, Nour embodies a unique case study for Israel's role in the overall political agenda of a liberal oppositionist in contemporary Egypt. This article argues that understanding Nour's motives allow us to interpret his positions toward Israel as part of a broader line against the Egyptian regime, and not necessarily as reflecting a systematic ideological doctrine.