Egypt : El-Sisi tells Egyptians results will come in many years

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi used his speech marking the 23 July 1952 revolution anniversary to address state issues amongst which was also the much criticized snubbed ceasefire by Hamas. The 23 July 1952 revolution anniversary marks the end of monarchy in Egypt and paved way for a presidential system of government.

The 1952 revolution was led by “great men” who were determined to bring an end to colonialism, feudalism, form a strong Egyptian army, establish social justice and end the influence of the elite on the country’s rulers, the President stated. He also hailed the nation’s first three presidents and founding members of the Free Officers Movement namely Mohamed Naguib, Gamal Abdel-Nasser and Anwar Sadat. Al-Sisi admitted that all the goals of the 1952 revolution have not been attained and went on to use it as a benchmark. He acknowledged that the goals of a revolution “are not fulfilled in a year or two, but many years.”

Al-Sisi’s access to the Presidential palace was facilitated by the 30 June 2013 protests against Mohamed Morsi’s government. He did also link the 25 January 2011 revolution that ousted Mubarak from power as a continuation of the 1952 revolution and hailed the relation between the army and the people in 2011. The “army acted as the champion of the people and the people acted as the champions of the army,” he stated.

Dwelling on the failed ceasefire that Egypt brokered between Israel and Palestine, President Al-Sisi said that their “intiative didn’t include any conditions” whilst Hamas deplores that it can’t adhere to an agreement that it never discussed. Al-Sisi revealed that the objective was to “reach a ceasefire” then access to aid before “the conflicting parties will sit at a negotiating table.”