Arabic press roundup: Egyptian media puts the boot in

Egypt and Israel have had diplomatic relations since the Camp David peace agreement in 1978. In reality it exists between governments and intelligence services only. Mainstream Egyptian politicians and social and popular movements still see Israel as the enemy.

Many attempts have been made to change those views, and the latest came from an unusual source - Tawfiq Okasha, a talkshow host recently turned MP.

Okasha launched his political career by inviting the Israeli ambassador, Haim Koren, on to his television show. The blossoming friendship was cemented last week when both were pictured after a three-hour meeting. 

Bad move. That meeting produced a wave of anger in parliament, with one MP throwing a shoe at Okasha. It had, many said, endangered national security.

And the coup de grace was dealt on Wednesday: Egypt's parliament voted on Wednesday to annul his membership.

It was a spectacular fall that was perhaps helped by as series of articles in the Egyptian press, most mnotably in Al-Youm7 newspaper, which is owned by some businessmen in Egypt and often loyal to the establishment and the army.

One of the articles, entitled "Parliamentary petition to drop Okasha's membership", reported that well over 120 MPs signed the petition.

The paper also ran a second piece featuring a protest against Okasha in his birth place village of Al Daqhliya and also in Talkha. Interestingly, the Alyoum7 newspaper was accused by an Israeli religious website of publishing hate because of its position against Okasha.  

Attacks on attempts to normalise relations with Israel also featured at Egyptian newspaper Al Dostor, which published an article listing 6 people who had tried - and failed in such a quest due to public opposition. The news also article asserted the Israeli normalisation with the Arab world has been always "limited" and often "secret" as it is unacceptable for the general mainstream.

Okasha was not spared from criticism. A second news story on Okasha claimed that he is facing a lawsuit for allegedly doctoring his PhD certificate, while showing him going through security check before entering the parliament.

The repercussions of the Okasha-Koren meeting was also covered by the London based Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper. One article suggested that a "war" has been triggered between the Okasha and those who are anti-normalisation with Israel.

An opinion piece in Al Quds Al Arabi said Okasha affair was a coup for Israel in its attempts to normalise relations with the Arab people.

Okasha was described as a traitor in a third article in the same paper, written by, Hasnain Karom, entitled "Tale of love and illegal relationship between Tawfiq Okasha and Israel is not over yet

The decision by the Egyptian parliament to investigate Okasha's meeting with the Israeli ambassador was also covered in Kuwait, by Al Qabas Newspaper. The article also featured Okasha's new "challenging" statement in which he will be visiting the Israeli Knesset (Parliament). Another article by Al Qabas featured the new position of the Israeli ambassador in Cairo where he vowed to meet Okasha again. 

Beyond Okasha, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was reported to be communicating with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice a month, according to a report by the website Arabi21.com, citing Israeli media.