Israelis banned from entering Cairo University

The organizing committee for the symposium on "The Encyclopedia on the Jews, Judaism and Zionism" have prevented two members of the staff of the Israeli embassy in Cairo from entering the hall where the symposium is held.

A teacher at the faculty of the economy and political sciences at Cairo University, Nazli Moawad, who is the supervisor of the symposium said that she had "prevented two employees at the Israeli embassy from entering the hall in response to the rules of the university which ban the entering of the Israeli embassy staff to the university and taking part in its activities."

The symposium, which discusses the "Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism," written by a teacher of the comparative literature at Cairo University, Abdul Wahab al-Maseiri, was attended by senior political and academic figures including Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid.

Upon its publication two years ago the encyclopedia was greatly opposed by certain rightist extremist forces in Israel who threatened to kill its author.

The book also raised anger among the political forces in Israel because of its criticism of the Jews' history.