“Because of Egypt’s constant attention to its image as a place open for tourism, open for business, open for investment, authorities appear particularly sensitive to divergent perspectives during the pandemic.”

“The Egyptians want to have a…legally binding resolution mechanism and to include mitigation measures for the droughts and prolonged dry years… Giving Ethiopia total control over Egypt’s water is not negotiable for Egyptians.”

“This virus has really exposed…an underinvestment in public health systems [in Arab countries], which are now really straining or nearly breaking in many countries due to the pandemic.”

“Mubarak…did bring a certain measure of political stability to Egypt. But the price that was paid for that stability was atrophy and deterioration of the political institutions, of the economy, of socio-economic conditions.”

“Mubarak is gone, but 100 million Egyptians still live in his Egypt. Sisi is worse than Mubarak in many ways, but without Mubarak there is no Sisi. That is Mubarak’s legacy.”

“[I]t is likely very disconcerting for President al-Sisi and his inner circle that people inside his regime are leaking important information to such a credible and well-respected site as Mada Masr.”

“Mada is one of the Middle East’s real treasures. It is probably the single most important publication for every Egypt-watcher or Egypt expert I know.”

“[Military aid] is not an entitlement and these human rights violations are of US national security concern and they need to be addressed.”

“He’s cracking down on the one hand, and making some very cosmetic gestures on the other, but like the gestures that Mubarak took back in the day when it was clear people were unhappy, these measures failed…to stabilize the situation.”

“[The current wave of arrests] will be chilling and may have the effect of making a lot of people too nervous to go down to the streets.”