It seems that we must look fondly on the days of Safwat Al-Sherif and his manner of dealing with disagreements with journalists and intellectuals. This is particularly true when we consider the behaviour of the current Minister of Information, Mamdouh Al-Beltagi. Egyptian public opinion was surprised by Al-Beltagi’s publishing of an article on the front page of Al-Liwaa Al-Islami (August 25, 2004), announcing his rejection of Dr. Rifa’at Sayyed Ahmad’s position regarding the Jews’ suffering at Hitler’s hands, and that this position does not reflect “the view of the Egyptian people, or the policies of the National Democratic Party.”