George Ishaq
He was born in Port Said.
Contents |
Education and Career
George Ishaq graduated from Cairo University in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in history. He worked as a schoolteacher for a while before becoming head of the country's union of Catholic schools. He then became the schools' media consultant.[1]
Political Activities
George Ishaq was politically activity from a very young age. As a child, he took part in the popular resistance against the British and participated in the resistance during the 1956 Suez War.[2]
He became one of the founders of the Tagammu` (National Progressive Unionist) leftist party but left it in 1976, when he realized that "there were a lot of hidden agendas". He then became a member of Al-Amal Al-Ishtiraki (Socialist Labor) party, which had an islamist wing. He eventually left that party as well.[3]
In 2004, Ishaq joined forces with prominent political figures like writer Alaa Al Aswany and activist Abd Al-Halim Qandil to establish the opposition movement, Kefaya. The movement's main aim was to protest Muhammed Hosni Mubarak's grooming his son for the presidency. The group organized many anti-government protests.[4]
Ishaq highlighted the importance of involving the youth, saying, "The youth issue is very important, but the young generation was born in the shadow of the ruling regime, and have therefore never had an opportunity to practice politics. What's more, political establishments have kept them at arm's length and failed to embrace them." When Kefaya was first launched, Ishaq said, its founders reached out to the marginalized youth.[5]
In April 2008, after the famous workers' strike of April 6, 2008 in Mahalla al-Kubra, Ishaq was charged with "inciting unrest and resisting authorities, accused of being behind a call for a national strike on April 6" and was arrested but released short thereafter.[6]
After January 25, 2011
Many see Kefaya as one of the impetuses for the January 25, 2011 Revolution and George Ishaq as its godfather. Ishaq and members of the movement actively participated in the uprisings that toppled Mubarak.[7]
Ishaq later became an active member of Masr al-Hurriyya (Freedom Egypt) party and served on its advisory committee.[8] In November 2011, he ran for a seat in parliament but lost to his opponent Akram al-Sha`ir of the Freedom and Justice Party.[9]
One Year on
One year on, George Ishaq said that he feels the military junta is just as oppressive as Mubarak and his regime. "They were not part of the revolution and are taking advantage of it," he said.[10]
In April 2012, Ishaq joined forces again with al Aswany and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei to form the Revolution Party, which "aims to be a broad-based movement that forms 'the nucleus of a coalition that will include all secular forces in Egypt."[11]
References
- ↑ Yasin, Muna. "George Ishaq.. Mudarris al-Tarikh allathi Tahawwal ila Ramz". Al-Masry al-Youm. April 18, 2008. http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/article2.aspx?ArticleID=101579&IssueID=1013 Accessed April 11, 2012
- ↑ Yasin, Muna. "George Ishaq.. Mudarris al-Tarikh allathi Tahawwal ila Ramz". Al-Masry al-Youm. April 18, 2008
- ↑ Fawzy, Tamer. "George Ishak (September 2011)". Enigma. November 30, 2011. http://www.enigma-mag.com/interview_archives/2011/11/george-ishak-september-2011/ Accessed April 13, 2012
- ↑ "Kefaya founder George Ishaq to run for parliament in Port Said". Ahram Online. October 24, 2011. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/24981/Egypt/Politics-/Kefaya-founder-George-Ishaq-to-run-for-parliament-.aspx Accessed April 10, 2012
- ↑ Abdel Aziz, Marwan. "Q&A with Kefaya leader George Ishak: NAC must 'hit the streets". Egypt Independent. July 1, 2010. http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/qa-kefaya-leader-george-ishak-nac-must-hit-streets Accessed April 10, 2012
- ↑ "Egypt opposition leader released". AFP. April 11, 2008. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hsrs4tcjFybEU3uPrPnKhClAc37w Accessed April 10, 2012
- ↑ Fawzy, Tamer. "George Ishak (September 2011)". Enigma. November 30, 2011. http://www.enigma-mag.com/interview_archives/2011/11/george-ishak-september-2011/ Accessed April 13, 2012
- ↑ "Freedom Egypt (Masr al Hurreya) Party". Electionnaire. http://egypt.electionnaire.com/parties/?id=19 Accessed April 10, 2012
- ↑ Abdellah, Adel. "George Ishaq: revolution figure seeking a majority". Egypt Votes. November 29, 2011. http://www.egyptvotes.org/en/politics/item/229-george-ishaq-revolution-figure-seeking-a-majority.html Accessed April 10, 2012
- ↑ "Egypt: Interview with George Ishak ”We Need a New Revolution” Qantara de article". Paderborner S.J. Blog. February 6, 2012. http://sjpaderborn.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/egypt-interview-with-george-ishak-we-need-a-new-revolution-qantara-de-article/ Accessed April 13, 2012
- ↑ "ElBaradei to co-found new political party". Ahram Online. April 9, 2012. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/38870/Egypt/Politics-/ElBaradei-to-cofound-new-political-party-.aspx Accessed April 13, 2012
Other References
Abbady, S. "Former Kifaya Coordinator George Ishak Reportedly Arrested". IkhwanWeb. March 25, 2007. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=2030 Accessed April 10, 2012.
Abaza, Khairi. "Uniting Egypt’s Opposition: Who Are the Protestors and What Do They Want?" Foreign Policy. February 9, 2011. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67371/khairi-abaza/uniting-egypts-opposition?page=show Accessed April 13, 2012.
"April 6 movement to mark fourth anniversary with large celebration". Ahram Online. April 6, 2012. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/38608/Egypt/Politics-/April--movement-to-mark-fourth-anniversary-with-la.aspx Accessed April 10, 2012.
"George Ishaq". Wikipedia. April 10, 2012. http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/جورج_إسحاق April 11, 2012.
"George Ishak rejects Islamic movements". Egypt.com. November 6, 2011. http://news.egypt.com/english/permalink/62564.html Accessed April 10, 2012.
Mabruk, Muhammad. "George Ishaq: al-Sara` bayn al-Askari wal-Ikhwan Sawfa Yasna` Dictaturan Gadidan." Al-Ahram. April 8, 2012. http://gate.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/35/194166/محافظات/أخبار-وتقارير/جورج-إسحاق-الصراع-بين-العسكري-والإخوان-سوف-يصنع-دي.aspx Accessed April 13, 2012.
