Bribery Scandal Exposes Egypt’s Ties, Despite Bright Star Drills Cementing Alliance

Egypt Security Sector Report

This week’s newsletter highlights Cairo’s sharp condemnation of Israel’s strike on Doha, Egyptian activists pressing ahead with a Gaza flotilla, and Organi’s profiteering from Palestinian entry permits. I also cover the GERD dispute at the UN, Bright Star drills with US and police units, demolitions and arrests in Sinai, the military’s seizure of Nile parkland, the regime’s crackdown on online creators, and a bribery scandal exposing Egypt’s covert influence in Washington.

Palestine

After Savagery

I reviewed Hamid Dabashi’s latest book on Gaza and the West.

Egypt’s Embassies Serve Repression, Not Diplomacy

I wrote an opinion piece on Sisi’s embassies as security outposts, in light of the Gaza solidarity protests.

Cairo Condemns Israeli Strike on Doha as Egyptian Activists Push Ahead With Gaza Flotilla

Israel’s failed airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha has triggered sharp condemnation from Cairo and renewed Egyptian grassroots defiance. The presidency described the 9 September attack as a “grave violation of international law and state sovereignty,” urging the international community to hold Israel accountable and warning that the escalation undermines efforts to halt the Gaza war.

Sisi is understandably alienated and worried—striking Doha is a precedent, and Egypt hosts Moussa Abu Marzouq of Hamas and Ziyad al-Nakhalah of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Will Israel break a new red line and target them?

Meanwhile, Egyptian activists—independent as well as members of some left-leaning parties—pressing to join the Global Sumud Flotilla said preparations continue despite mounting security pressure. Organizers announced the donation of their first boat by a local supporter, while submitting multiple formal requests for authorization from Egyptian authorities—so far unanswered. A planned Cairo press conference was canceled after security threats of mass arrests, yet the group vowed to sail by 16 September to break Israel’s blockade.

Egypt’s Security Agencies, Organi Cash In on Palestinian Entry Permits

Egypt’s requirement that Palestinians secure prior “security approvals” has fueled a lucrative market run by brokers and firms coordinating directly with Homeland Security. Although officially free, approvals are slow and often denied, pushing Palestinians toward intermediaries. Fees that cost US$200 before Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023 rose steadily to US$800, before Egyptian authorities suspended approvals entirely in August 2024—barring entry for most Palestinian men aged 18–40. When the system resumed 20 days later, the price had nearly doubled to US$1,500.

Among the most prominent players is Hala Consulting, owned by Sinai tribal militia leader-turned-businessman Ibrahim al-Organi, which charged thousands for Rafah crossings. Other firms, including Mushtaha in Gaza and Turkey, Hanif in Cairo, and Royal Star in Gaza, openly advertise approvals within 24 to 72 hours. Airlines such as EgyptAir also enforce the requirement, leaving many Palestinians reliant on intermediaries and deepening the entrenchment of this security-business nexus.

Red Sea Mega Project Revives Questions Over Ties to Israel, Govt Transparency