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Egypt’s President Tries to Backpedal Over Slurs Against Jews

Posted By The Media Line Staff On In Mideast Daily News

Mohammed Morsi told visiting US senators that his comments urging hatred of Jews and calling Zionists “pigs” and “bloodsuckers” were meant as a denunciation of Israeli policy and not as an ethnic attack. Morsi made the comments in 2010 when he was a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood, before becoming President of Egypt. US Senator John McCain said a congressional delegations that met with Morsi expressed their “strong disapproval” of the comments. Morsi said the remarks were part of a speech against Israeli attacks in Gaza and “assured them of his respect for monotheistic religions, freedom of belief and the practice of religions,” presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said. Morsi has pledged to abide by Egypt’s 1979 peace agreement with Israel and has continued cooperation with the Jewish state.