A Salafi leader has called for appointing a representative for Egypt’s Jews in the 2015 parliament, although other Islamists saw their number is too small to have a representative.
Salafi preacher Osama al-Qosi called Monday for appointing Magda Haroun, the head of the 20-member community of Egypt’s Jews in the new House of Representatives.
He added in a phone call to Sabah al-Asema talk show on al-Asema channel that Egyptian Jews are “like Egyptian Muslim and Christians who are proud of their Egyptian nationality.”
Per Article 27 of the House of Representatives Law, the President has the right to appoint 5 percent of the parliament members (28 lawmakers), half of whom should be women.
President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi will issue a decree next week with names of new nominated parliamentarians, Youm7 reported.
Al-Qosi’s proposal was welcomed by several intellectuals; prominent poet Ahmed Abdel Moati Hegazy supported his call, saying “this means that Jews are not compelled to travel to Israel to have their rights. A Jew can practice his rights freely in Egypt with a representative in the Parliament.”
The Egyptian government recognizes the three major Abrahamic religions in its national ID cards and other social issues. Other religious minorities, however, like the Baha’ai, who number in the thousands, are not represented in Parliament.
Some hard-line Islamists saw the number of Jews is too small to have a representative in the parliament; founder of al-Gabha al-Wasatia party (Moderate Front) Sabra al-Qasimi said the number of Jews in Egypt is too small to deserve a representative.
Qasimi added that President Sisi has right to appoint any figure he wants and none should not suggest any specific figure for parliament seats. Also founder of The Best of the Nation Coalition, a Salafi party, described Qosi’s call as “fallacy.”
Dr. Haroun was unable to be reached for comment.
