Tensions Run High between Egyptian Nasserist and Saudi Analyst on TV Show following Island Deal

Tensions ran high during a TV debate on the recent Egyptian-Saudi deal to transfer the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi rule. Egyptian Nasserist Muhammad Sayyid Ahmad accused the Gulf rulers of being "treacherous and collaborating Arab reactionaries" who "prostrate themselves (in submission)." Ahmad, who is Secretary of Political Affairs of the Arab Nasserist Party, further said: "You are the ones who conspired against the Arab nation... You want to fragment the Arab nation." Saudi political analyst Khaled Batrafi responded that it was this kind of Nasserist rhetoric "that led to the loss of the Sinai Peninsula and of the two islands." The show aired on Russia Today TV on April 13, 2016.

Saudi Political Analyst Khaled Batrafi: All that empty talk about America, Israel, and the accursed Jews is injected into any debate on Arab matters. Even if we wanted to inject Israel...

Muhammad Sayyid Ahmad, Secretary of Political Affairs The Arab Nasserist Party: Are they not enemies? Have the Americans and the Zionists become your sweethearts? You want to take over those two islands in order to build bridges to the Zionist entity, so that it can protect you and provide you with military aid. This is the soundest analysis. This is obvious. The Zionist enemy is our number one enemy. Don't talk to me about "empty talk"! This is the truth. The Zionist enemy is the enemy of the nation. All your rulers, the rulers of the Gulf, prostrate themselves (in submission). These are the treacherous and collaborating Arab reactionaries, who supported the destructive Zio-American enterprise. You do not go to Palestine (to fight). Young Palestinian girls are defending Palestine, while these pseudo-men do not go to Palestine. Instead, they go to Yemen and to Syria. I completely reject this kind of talk.

Interviewer: Please let our guest in Jeddah respond or continue his train of thought.

Khaled Batrafi: I'm sad to say that this is the Nasserist rhetoric that led to the loss of the Sinai Peninsula and of the two islands. When Ahmed Said announced, on Egyptian radio, and (Mohamed Hassanein) Heikal announced, in the Al-Ahram newspaper, the downing of 200 or 300 (Israeli) airplanes, and spoke about the "(Arab) reactionary forces"... This is the Nasserist rhetoric that caused the loss of the Arab nation and Palestine...

Muhammad Sayyid Ahmad: You are the ones who conspired against the Arab nation in the past, and you are doing the same now... You want to fragment the Arab nation...

Interviewer: You will have the opportunity to respond to our guest in Jeddah.

Muhammad Sayyid Ahmad: I reject this affront to the leader Gamal Abd Al-Nasser and the Nasserist rhetoric.

[…]