Well-known Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany has sparked online criticism after an interview with him was featured in Israeli media, discussing his latest works.
The interview with Alaa Al Aswany was mentioned on the radio network operated by the Israeli military and sparked many angry reactions on social media, as Egyptian commentators accused the author of "working closely with the Israelis".
لم ادل باى حديث لاى وسيلة اعلام اسرائيلية والحديث الذي يتم تداوله اجريته مع وكيلي الادبي في لندن
— علاء الأسواني (@AlaaAswany) May 23, 2022
Charles Buchan
بمناسبة صدور الطبعة العبرية من رواية جمهورية كآن وكان واجبا على اى صحفى اسرائيلي اذا نشر كلامي ان يشير الى مصدره
رابط الحديث مع الوكيل الادبي https://t.co/wG2w8eDaN7
Translation: "I have not given any media comments to Israeli media. The reported interview was with my literary agent in London Charles Buchan on the release of the Hebrew translation of my novel The Republic of False Truths. Every Israeli journalist should have mentioned the source when reporting the interview. Here is the link to the interview with my literary agent."
Yet, Al Aswany, a best-selling novelist for several decades, denied any collaboration with Israeli media, saying that the interview Israelis reported was in fact conducted by his London-based literary agent Charles Buchan to comment on the release of the Hebrew translation of his novel The Republic of False Truths.
The Republic of False Truths weighs on the many events that took place in Egypt during the 2011 Arab Spring revolution.
وجب إسقاط الجنسية عن هذه الكائنات المعتوهه?? وكل من عمل ضد الدولة في الخارج ، ويجب وقف الحوار مع هؤلاء ابناء الافاعي ،لانهم لايستحقونها?
— دياب الشعيبي ?? (@mrw_yby) May 23, 2022
علاء الاسواني بيسب الدولة المصرية من تلفزيون الجيش الاسرائيلي ? pic.twitter.com/ASuZnaqkfb
Translation: "Nationality should be withdrawn from these idiots and from anyone who works against the state abroad. Talks with these evil heads should be stopped because they do not deserve it. Alaa Al Aswany is insulting the Egyptian state on Israeli military TV."
Alaa Al Aswany explained in a tweet that Israeli media should have cited Charles Buchan as a source of the interview, instead of claiming it as theirs.
كل ما يهم علاء الأسواني أن يحصل على جائزة نوبل ولو من البوابة الاسرائيلية.
— سليم عزوز (@selimazouz1) May 23, 2022
إنتهى!
Translation: "Alaa Al Aswany only cares about receiving a Nobel prize, even it was achieved through Israelis."
The US-based author had left Egypt after years of political unrest that rocked the country in the wake of the Arab Spring protests, which ended in 2013 by the military control imposed by former Defense Minister Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, who has been president of the country ever since.
