The following is an article written on December 18, 2023, by Inna Levitskaya, a journalist and editor at Channel 9 Israel, a Russian-language TV channel located in Israel. Levitskaya’s article was the product of portions of an interview conducted with Dalia Ziada by the Telegram channel Humans for Israel and excerpts from Ziada’s Wikipedia page.
Levitskaya’s article begins below [as translated by LOC].
The Egyptian author Dalia Ziada declared that she completely supports Israel’s action for the destruction of Hamas and hopes that the IDF will destroy completely this radical terrorist group. A fragment of her interview was published in ‘Telegram’ ‘s “Humans for Israel.”
“If not for the Israelis, if not for Israel’s collaboration in the sphere of security with the Egyptians in the period from 2002 through 2015, terrorist organizations would still be present in the Sinai to this day,” the author stressed, adding that the mentioned terrorist organizations had been created by Hamas.
“When Egypt was very weak, Israel was alongside us and helped us to get rid of the terrorists. Thanks to economic cooperation with Israel, Egypt was able to bring its dream to fruition – to become the largest exporter of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean.”
She assured that despite persecution, she would not cease to condemn Hamas and radical Islamist organizations and to fight those who stand behind them. The author expressed confidence that Israel would defeat Hamas, but, at the same time, she stressed, “I am categorically against every drop of blood spilled – of Palestinians or Israelis. These are civilians who absolutely are not guilty of what is happening. But I absolutely support Israel’s war against Hamas, I support [it] 100%. Imagine: if the area where we live (not only Palestine and Israel, but the whole Middle East), existed without Hamas and without the other extremist Islamists, how would we be living today? A thousand times better, without a doubt!”
She appealed to Israelis: “I share your grief, I am sorry about the massacre that occurred on October 7. This was a terrible spectacle. I watched a video and I can’t describe the horror. It is something that is impossible to imagine. I hope that the Israeli army will succeed in annihilating Hamas as quickly as possible, having liberated the entire region from the evil of Hamas.”
Dalia Ziada is the author of the book The Curious Case of the Three-Legged Wolf – Egypt: Military, Islamism and Liberal Democracy, and other internationally acclaimed non-fiction works. Presently she works as chairperson of the Liberal Democracy Institute and executive director of the Center for Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean Studies. She is known as well for the central role she played in the civil society movement that initiated the revolution in Egypt in 2011 against the Mubarak regime.
The American channel, CNN, has named her one of eight agents of change in the Middle East, and the publication The Daily Beast recognized her for two consecutive years as one of the most fearless women in the world.
The story of Dalia Ziada and her fight for liberal democracy in Egypt is set out in the American best sellers Rock the Casbah: Rage and Revolution Across the Islamic World by Robin Wright, and Rabble Rousers: Fearless Fighters for Social Justice, by Lily Eskelsen Garcia. [End of article]
LOC commentary: Below is a portion of the interview conducted with Dalia Ziada on the Telegram channel Humans for Israel on December 17, 2023. Some of the content in the interview does repeat that of the article above but is worth including. The link at the end of the interview will go to the interview, which was conducted in Arabic with Russian subtitles. The translation of the interview is based on the Russian subtitles [translated by LOC].
Dalia: …as if I’m against the Palestinians, TO THE CONTRARY, every drop of blood spilled be it Palestinians or Israelis I am absolutely against this. These are civilians who are innocent in what’s happening but I absolutely support Israel’s war against Hamas I support it 100% and call everyone to support [it]. Imagine, if the place where we live, not only Palestine and Israel. Imagine if the Middle East existed without Hamas and extremist Islamists, how would we be living today? A thousand times better, without doubt.
Roy (Interviewer): What is your message to the Israelis?
Dalia: My message to Israelis: First, I share your grief concerning what happened in the massacre of October 7, this was a terrible sight, I watched a video and I cannot describe the terror I saw. This is something that is impossible to imagine, I hope Israel will succeed in exterminating Hamas. I completely support this. I hope that the Israeli army, I repeat, I hope that the Israeli army will succeed in the annihilation of Hamas as quickly as possible, having liberated the entire region from the evil of Hamas. And I share the grief of all Israelis who have lost their loved ones in the terrible massacre of October 7.
Roy: Dalia, will you return to Egypt?
Dalia: I hope I will be able to return, but now with all the indictments against me and accusations of spying and death threats. Some, even came to my house, looking for me. And to the house of my family. What can I say? This is truly unfortunate. I hope, once, I will be able to return, in the situation as it now is, I think this would be crazy, it would be jumping into the fire.
Roy: Dalia Ziada, Egyptian researcher, I thank you for this discussion.
Dalia: Thank you, thank you, Roy.
Roy: My best wishes.
Dalya: I hope for the best, here and there. I hope.
The Dragon is Slain 
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