!--Session data-- During celebrations to mark the 37th anniversary of Egypt's victory over Israel in the 1973 war, Egypt's Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa called for Muslims to be able to possess the power of deterrence. At the ceremony organized by the Ministry of Awqaf (Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs) held on Friday, Gomaa said that even though Islam is a religion of peace, Islamic countries should have the right to deter their enemies from the invasion and occupation of Islamic land. He did not clarify however if he specifically meant nuclear power. Gomaa described the 1973 war, also known as the 10th Ramadan war, as a watershed in the history of the Egyptian military and a bright spot in the history of the Islamic nation. In his speech at the ceremony—which was attended by the Minister of Awqaf and a number of ambassadors from Islamic countries—Gomaa said Muslims should not stand by and abandon their land or to surrender to an occupying force. Whilst Egypt is planning to build four nuclear power generating plants by 2025, the government has also called for making the Middle East a nuclear arms free zone. Egypt opposes Israel's possession of nuclear weapons and stands against Iranian ambitions to have nuclear reactors for military purposes. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
