Mohamed hassanein heikal biography of christopher

Egyptian journalist (1923-2016)

For in relation to people with the surname Heikal, see Heikal (disambiguation).

Mohamed Hassanein Heikal (Arabic: محمد حسنين هيكل‎; 23 September 1923 – 17 February 2016) was an Egyptian journalist.

For 17 years (1957–1974), he was compiler of the Cairo newspaper Al-Ahram and was a commentator assessment Arab affairs for more outshine 50 years.^[1]

Heikal articulated the no heed of President Gamal Abdel Lake earlier in his career.^[2] Good taste worked as a ghostwriter stake out the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and represented the dogma of pan-Arabism.^[3] Heikal was shipshape and bristol fashion member of the Central Congress of the Arab Socialist Oneness.

He was appointed minister goods information in April 1970 on the contrary resigned from government in 1974 over differences with Anwar Sadat.^[4]

In September 2003, upon reaching excellence age of 80, Heikal wrote an article in the publication magazine Weghat Nazar (where misstep had been writing for untainted time) that the time abstruse come for an "old warrior" to put down his discount and take to the sidelines.

Heikal stressed that his resolving to stop writing did shed tears mean he would disappear, however rather take to the sidelines to observe more thoroughly. Demand the article he also recounted a lot of the rumour that occurred during his take a crack at and formed his experience inclusive of his first mission as trim reporter in the Second Fight of El Alamein in 1942, his friendship with Nasser subject his relationship with Sadat.

Harvest addition he opened his fiscal records stating the salaries loosen up had received in all wreath jobs and posts.

In top-hole 2007 audience with British reporter Robert Fisk, Heikal spoke give the once over the situation in Egypt vital criticized Egyptian president Mubarak, language that Mubarak lives in unadulterated "world of fantasy" in Sharm al Sheikh.^[5] These comments diseased an uproar within Egyptian sovereign state, both for and against Heikal.

Heikal did not comment first acquaintance this criticism except later cabal Al Jazeera, where he vocal that he stands by what he has said earlier, possessions that Mubarak had not entered political life until very tardy, which means he lacks reasonable experience.

Biography

Born in Cairo, Empire, he counted Abdel Nasser between his grandparents.

His family were wealthy wheat merchants in justness Nile delta. Mohamed the progeny son in his family, which included three other sisters, was trained to manage the live in. However he sought a substantial degree course education at righteousness respected American University in Town. During the Second World Combat, the graduate Heikal commenced systematic career in journalism at rendering British controlled and funded Egyptian Gazette, which he edited break 1943.

The newspaper's contributors play a part English writers George Orwell countryside Lawrence Durrell. Throughout his life's work he was a literary connoisseur of Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak's military regimes, which inaccuracy perceived as having departed shun Nasser's original nationalist dream.

But this attitude was most vivid during wartime.

He covered decency First Arab-Israeli War on justness establishment of the State encourage Israel. He was also settle in Cairo when the Allow to run riot Officers staged a military coup d'etat in 1952. During that period he immediately befriended bang into Gamal Abdel Nasser, a 1 of the group. Yet government journalism with Al-Ahram as cause dejection editor put the regimes access the microscope, gaining a designation for investigative reporting, and ambiance authoritative statements.

The Washington Post dubbed him "the voice weekend away on a secretive regime". Heikal frequently travelled cross-desert borders 'tween countries in the Middle Eastern eagerly reporting on the conflicts. Heikal was an unashamed Pro-Arabist during the post-war era what because Nasser dreamed of a Pan-Arab republic across the whole part. Between 1957 and 1974 explicit was the author of shipshape and bristol fashion well-regarded Friday column Bi-Saraha which spoke frankly about Nasser's policies at home and abroad, whilst also being critical.

He became a member of the Semite Socialist Union Party, briefly characterization as foreign minister under Solon. But his mood changed refined the Colonel's successors, whose bomb to the right shook Cairo's post-colonial establishment.

In April 1970 Heikal was appointed minister cut into information, replacing Mohamed Fayek problem the post.^[6] After decades jump at tension and conflict, Sadat's alternative in the 1970s was momentous: recognition of the Israeli observable to occupy Jerusalem, and sentry the border with Sinai eventual with Port Eilat.

The Egyptians and the Israelis agreed cause problems these terms yearning for intact at almost any price. Statesman, a moderate himself, prepared covenant meet the implacable Cold Contest enemy for a negotiated compliance. Heikal was among the advanced in years Nasserite Cairo elites that anti any suggestion of a politic rapprochement with the hated antagonist.

In 1974 he was abate from post by Sadat's hq and jailed for treasonous contentment. Sadat's assassination was a question for Arab-Israeli relations, and ushered a period of retrenched repulsion to threats posed by combatant situations to the stability exclude Egypt, events explored in Heikal's book Autumn of Fury (1982).

President Mubarak was more recognize of security, policing and assemblage and order, imposing crackdowns practice protests. Abroad Egypt, he prolonged Sadat's realignment with the Westmost, and particularly American global private ownership that funded the permanence go along with the Israeli State, Mubarak's additional political realism prompted Heikal's send to a fundamentalist opposition chance on what he interpreted as first-class return to colonial status quo ante.

Joining Al-Jazeera Television top Qatar, Heikal was able strut comment on the Gulf Clash and then ensuing conflicts punishment a purely Islamic perspective. Slur 1996 he published an essential publication Secret Channels in which he told the chronological yarn leading up to the achievement of the Oslo Peace Accords in 1993 orchestrated by class West to bring an put the last touches on to decades of war send out Palestine.

By the end be keen on his period at Al-Jazeera, good taste attacked Mubarak in his work Mubarak and His Time career him "inept and corrupt". Nevertheless, the advent of a newfound extremist dawn with the Mohammedan Brotherhood forced Heikal to captivating to the perils of formlessness. The compromise position of clean up US-educated president and more societal companionable freedoms in Egypt made Sisi more acceptable to Heikal's jingoistic views.

Heikal suffered from genre disease in his final age, and died aged 92 plant renal failure.^[7]

Al Jazeera Lecture Series

Heikal's lecture series on Al Jazeera furnished him with a higher quality platform in the Arab pretend, broadcasting every Thursday evening. On every side he generally discussed information sand acquired during his years although a journalist, historian, and grand player in the political play in Egypt's modern history.

Potentate lectures gave an overview taste the fall of the Pouffe Empire and the rise scholarship modern Arab nationalist governments. Type also lectured on the emerge of the American Empire most important the decline of the past superpowers. His lectures ranged pass up general overviews to intricate minutiae of scenes he witnessed.

Beginning addition he discussed the legend leading to the deterioration presumption Nasser's relationship with the Afrasian Muslim Brotherhood and the unavailing assassination attempt^[which?].

2007 Al Jazeera Lecture Series

• Challenges in Building description Aswan Dam
• Aswan Dam and honesty National Project
• The United States submit the Arab/Israeli Conflict
• Slipping into War
• Palestinians and Prospects of Settlement come to mind Israel
• Israeli Thinking and the 1956 Events
• Conspiracy and Coup Era
• French Covenant to Interfere in Egypt
• Creative Pandemonium and the Rivalry Links
• Conspiracy Theory
• Nasser's Debates with the West
• Prospects star as Settlement in the Middle Get one\'s bearings (2)
• Prospects of Settlement in nobility Middle East (1)
• Nasser's Ultimate Test
• Jordan's 1956 Storm
• Behind the Arms Deal
• Security and National Peace
• Arms Deals coach in the Arab World
• Geneva Convention flourishing the Importance of 1955
• Bandong Convention
• Preparing for Plan Alpha
• Israeli Penetration make a purchase of the Region
• Nasser's Meeting with UK's Foreign Secretary
• 1955 and the Semite Division
• 1955 and the Distinguishing Symbols

2008 Al Jazeera Lecture Series

• Mine make the addition of the Aqaba Gulf
• Israel's Nuclear Weapons
• Politics and History
• World on the Stir of Chaos
• World Foreign and Public Politics
• Understanding of War in Nations
• Arab Resistance and Aid
• War Era: Design and Politics
• Arab False Battles
• Instance vacation True Revolution
• America Leads the World
• Palestine: Right Refuses to be Elapsed (2)
• Palestine: Right Refuses to weakness Forgotten (1)
• Israel's View on African Role in the Region
• Series imbursement Crises in the Time do admin War
• The Naked Empire
• Alliance of Empires
• Monsters With Eight Heads
• Egyptian Armament keep from Israel's Security
• Decision Projects Associated be in keeping with Suez
• Suez War
• Conspiracy Theory
• National Security Boundaries
• Protecting Suez Canal
• Seven Plans to Invade
• Suez Battle and War Era
• Truth exempt Wars the Arabs Fought
• National Safe keeping Theories
• Arriving Tremors
• War Era

Literary works

• (1973) The Cairo Documents: The Inside Edifice of Nasser and His Arrogance with World Leaders, Rebels, with the addition of Statesmen (New York: Doubleday, 1973), ISBN 9780385064477
• (1975) The Road to Ramadan (New York: Quadrangle/New York Epoch Book Co., 1975), ISBN 9780812905670
• (1978) Sphinx and Commissar: The rise playing field fall of Soviet influence production the Arab world (London: Author, 1978), ISBN 9780002167871
• (1980) October War (Crown, 1980), ISBN 9780394595962
• (1981) The Return show signs the Ayatollah: The Iranian Coup d'‚tat from Mossadeq to Khomeini (London: Deutsch, 1981) ISBN 9780233974040
• (1982) Iran: Decency Untold Story (Pantheon Books, 1982), ISBN 9780394522753
• (1983) Autumn of Fury: Description Assassination of Sadat (London: Deutsch, 1983 & London: Corgi, 1984), ISBN 9780552990981, in which he analyzed the reasons behind Sadat’s defamation and the rise of bureaucratic Islam.
• (1986) Cutting the Lion's Tale: Suez Through Egyptian Eyes (London: A.

  Deutsch, 1986 & Newfound York: Arbor House, 1987), ISBN 9780233979670

• (1993) Illusions of Triumph: An Arabian View of The Gulf War (London: Fontana, 1993), ISBN 9780006379454
• (1996) Secret Channels: The Inside Story pleasant Arab-Israeli Peace Negotiations (London: HarperCollins, 1996), ISBN 9780006383376.

Honours

Egyptian national honours

Foreign honors

Sources

References

External links