Tarek Lutfi: Return of Jews to Egypt 'unacceptable'

Egyptian artist Tarek Lutfi rejected the idea that Jews who left Egypt should be allowed back. In his remarks, exclusive to Arabstoday, Lutfi said “It is very tricky, and this is due to our inability to judge their intentions, and what they want, is it to create a Jewish community in Egypt that supports Israel or purely just that they love the country they live in the first place?” Lutfi asked: “Don’t the Jews who left Egypt for any other European country support the Israeli dream or Zionism whether financially or idealistically? He also stressed: “Egypt opens its doors to all visitors of all nationalities or religions, but for them to live in Egypt again is unacceptable.” On the other hand, the playwright Ali Salem called for the return of Jewish Egyptians back to Egypt. He added that in his meetings with them, they express feelings of ‘nostalgia’.  One of Salem’s most important works is the play “Madrasat Al Moushagibin” that was performed in the seventies starring Adel Imam, Said Saleh, and Ahmed Zaki.