The trial for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak began on the third of this month, and it was decided to resume today. The comments in the Israeli press on the fourth of the month: the trial is an insult to Mubarak, like a dog in a cage. I never once in my dreams imagined that I would see Hosni Mubarak on a stretcher inside a courtroom cage, but I have high confidence in the Egyptian judiciary and expect a fair trial; I await a verdict of innocence or guilt. The judgment will be for all of Egypt, and not just for a sick man who is 83 years old. It will show us whether Egypt has become a democratic country buttressed by an independent judiciary; or, has it moved from a bad situation to one that is worse? I will suffice with the American newspapers. The New York Times asked, in an article "Mr. Mubarak on Trial," whether the trial will be fair and transparent, or will the court trample on the law to appease those demanding Mubarak's head? The Wall Street Journal, which is pro-Likud, headlined a commentary piece with "The Pharaoh in His Cage," and even so spoke of the thirst of the demagogues for revenge. The Los Angeles Times selected the headline "Mubarak: Avoiding Victor's Justice in Egypt" and said that the accusations of killing protestors and corruption should be proved decisively. The Washington Post asked whether Mubarak could get a fair trial and answered by saying that there were many reasons to doubt this. I do not doubt at all the Egyptian judiciary, especially when it comes to appeals, of various types. However, there is demagoguery, and people's emotions are blazing. We have seen how the public prosecutors released Zakaria Azmi but kept him under investigation, without clearing him. The young people demonstrated in Tahrir Square and Azmi was returned to jail. I hope that the Egyptian judiciary proves me right. I believe that it will do so, despite the pressures. The trial must be fair enough to dispel all of the doubts and see the Israelis choke on their maliciousness. I write this knowing full well how difficult the situation is. Hosni Mubarak continues to have a small number who support him, but the majority is against him. We have also heard them demanding his execution before he entered the courtroom. They tried him, convicted him and issued a verdict and no other decision will appease them. The judgments should be for the courts alone, and not the military, or the religious and secular parties, or the street. I have received a lot of mail, especially from outside Egypt. Some of it supports the former president but there is more, especially from Egypt, condemning him. Each reader has the right to arrive at his or her own convictions, but I advise everyone to leave the matter to the courts. The side that wants Hosni Mubarak's head and wants to cut off the hands of his sons, only condemns itself and exposes its extremism. I do not pass judgment on Hosni Mubarak. The judge, Ahmad Rifaat, is more capable than all of us in issuing the correct decision. After him, there will be a long series of trials, which will move through all of the available legal channels before arriving at a final verdict. Leaving behind questions of guilt or innocence, I hope that Hosni Mubarak is not tried, because he is sick and old, and has stepped down from office, never to return. I would have preferred to see the rulers and the young people of Tahrir Square be overcome by mercy, and look forward instead of backward. However, I hope this in the knowledge that the decision is for the Egyptians alone, and not me. Just as I bowed to the judgment of the millions who rose up against the Mubarak regime, I accept the decision of the judiciary, so that Egypt can close this chapter of its modern history and begin one of democracy and construction. Construction, or work, is what Egypt needs today. I believe it is more important than the trial or non-trial of Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian economy was hard-hit by the revolution, foreign currency reserves dropped, foreign investments dwindled, tourism revenues fell and unemployment increased. Despite this, every problem has a solution, and the young people of Egypt are capable of seeing their country recover. I advise them to put work before demonstrations. It is a modest piece of advice, for the sake of the Lord. [email protected]
