Paid text of Coptic Solidarity (USA) in Christian Newswire alleging that Egyptian Christian leader Rev. Dr. Andrea Zakī is an ‘agent’ of President al-Sīsī.
I have been a subscriber to Christian Newswire for many years now and was shocked to see such an attack on an Egyptian Christian leader by a Coptic organization. The purpose of the article is to portray Rev. Dr. Andrea Zakī as a lackey of Egyptian President ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ al-Sīsī. The photo with the president serves to underline this. Coptic Solidarity omitted to explain the background of this photo. President al-Sīsī had visited New York, where he had met, among others, with US Evangelical leaders and invited them to visit Egypt. The US Evangelical leaders responded with a visit to Egypt in November 2017, and it was only logical that their main counterparts in Egypt were the Protestant Churches in Egypt, presided by Rev. Dr. Andrea Zakī.
It is obvious that Coptic Solidarity has a very different political agenda from that of Rev. Dr. Andrea Zakī who is definitely pro-President al-Sīsī but that makes him no lackey. This applies, to my knowledge, to all heads of churches and to most bishops, priests, and pastors in Egypt. Rev. Dr. Andrea seems to have been singled out for an attack because he has been rather successful in meeting US Congressmen and other politicians and government officials, explaining a view on Egypt that is radically different from that of Coptic Solidarity. The purpose of this text is to discredit Rev. Zakī to US Government officials, Members of Congress, and media outlets reached through the Christian Newswire.
Dialogue Across Borders prepared an overview of Egyptian media reporting about Rev. Dr. Andrea Zakī which provides a good insight into his thoughts. See also my commentary in our newsletter today.
August 25, 2022
Cornelis Hulsman, Editor-in-Chief
For the full text of Coptic Solidarity in Christian Newswire please click Read More.