Hamdeen Sabahy, prominent Nasserite political figure, called Tuesday on boycotting Mobinil, an Egyptian company for mobile services, because it is owned by Orange, which Sabbahi said it deals with the Israeli army.
“Partner Communications Company, which is on a contract with Mobinil, Orange, provides services to two units of the occupation army; namely Ezoz and Shachar. Boycott Mobinil,” the former presidential candidate tweeted Tuesday.
A few hours later, Mobinil responded to Sabahy’s accusations.
“Orange Group does not operate in Israel and its capital is not linked that of Partner Communications Company, which operates mobile services there,” Mobinil replied to Sabahy on Twitter.
“Orange is present in 30 countries worldwide, in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. Orange S.A. is already present in a number of Arab countries and does not participate in any political or religious activities in any of the countries where it operates,” it added.
An Egyptian court acquitted four Mobinil employees over charges of transmitting phone calls from a Jordanian national to Israel for “intelligence purposes.”
In 2012, France’s Orange bought 94 percent of Mobinil’s shares from Egyptian Tycoon Naguib Sawiris, and in February he sold five percent to the French firm to consolidate 99 percent of the shares.
