CAIRO: The board of state-owned Al-Ahram Organization referred Al-Ahram's Democracy Review editor-in-chief Hala Mustafa to the legal affairs department to be questioned over inviting Israeli ambassador Shalhom Cohen to her office. This comes after the Journalists' Syndicate also opened an investigation into the same incident, which is seen as violating the general assembly's ban on any form of cooperation with Israel. Nearly two weeks ago, Cohen paid a visit to Al-Ahram headquarters, leaving security officials confused since they were not given prior notice. The ambassador allegedly wanted to discuss a proposal to hold lectures organized by Mustafa's periodical. Mustafa hosted him in her office, triggering controversy within the state-owned foundation, with calls to fire her from Al-Ahram and expel her from the syndicate. Al-Ahram's board issued four decrees during their last meeting; referring Mustafa to legal affairs, banning any Israeli from entering the organization's premises, banning any joint studies, meetings and conferences with researchers with Zionist ideas, and distancing Abdel Moneim Saeed's personal political views from his position as chairman of Al-Ahram's board. Saeed is known for being an advocate of normalization with Israel, meeting with officials and traveled to the country, according to Ahmed El-Naggar, member of Al-Ahram's board of directors. El-Naggar said that Mustafa should not take the blame alone. "She was following what she learned from her mentor Abdel Moneim Saeed, a pioneer of normalization with Israel. Although he technically disapproved of what she did, he did not use his power to stop it or to issue orders banning Cohen from entering the foundation, he said. On the other hand, Israeli news reports suggested that Egyptian intellectuals refuse any peaceful relations with Israelis. "The ambassador and Mustafa were shocked by the harsh response and the fuss caused following the meeting. Sources in the Israeli embassy in Cairo told Ynet they were disappointed and shocked over the storm Cohen's meeting caused. "We regret the conduct of the Egyptian associations, which continue to harm any initiative meant to promote ties between the peoples, and this was actually in the Palestinian people's favor, a source was quoted in Ynet as saying. When contacted by Daily News Egypt, Mustafa was not available for comment but she told the press that the "chairman of the board of executives, Dr Saeed, met with Israeli and Jewish personalities himself many times, both in Egypt and abroad, and he even traveled to Tel Aviv in the past. She warned that she plans to "expose all the journalists who are collaborating with Israel, meeting with Israeli officials, and conducting mutual visits with them both officially and unofficially.
