These extremists are pathologically jealous. They feel like dwarfs, which is why they search for towers and all those who tower mightily.

These extremists are pathologically jealous. They feel like dwarfs, which is why they search for towers and all those who tower mightily.

Since visiting Israel in 1994 Mr. Salem has not found a producer for his works. He has two plays and a movie script gathering dust and, he said, nobody talks with him anymore about theater, only about politics. "I'm a playwright by nature, and a writer by coercion," Mr. Salem, who still writes newspaper columns, said in an interview. "I have become similar to Kafka's heroes — I don't know what exactly is demanded of me."

For the past eight years, since he returned from a trip to Israel, Salem has been vilified by the intellectual establishment in Egypt. It is almost impossible for him to publish inside the country. Recently, he was not even invited to attend a performance of his own work.

For the past eight years, since he returned from a trip to Israel, Salem has been vilified by the intellectual establishment in Egypt. It is almost impossible for him to publish inside the country. Recently, he was not even invited to attend a performance of his own work.

ALI SALEM: Yes, we'll have more progress because you will take share in our troubles. There is no first world, there is no second or third world; there is a village called this planet. And if somebody is dangerous in a village close to Cairo, this person, the same person, will be very, very dangerous in Hamburg, in London, in Paris, in New York. Thousands, thousands of the Americans died in order to have a better life for both of us. Yes. You know, it was our battle against these extremists.

ALI SALEM: Yes, we'll have more progress because you will take share in our troubles. There is no first world, there is no second or third world; there is a village called this planet. And if somebody is dangerous in a village close to Cairo, this person, the same person, will be very, very dangerous in Hamburg, in London, in Paris, in New York. Thousands, thousands of the Americans died in order to have a better life for both of us. Yes. You know, it was our battle against these extremists.

Ali Salem, Egypt's most prominent playwright, has been banished from his country's cultural circles due to his views favoring normalization with Israel.  Since his first trip to Israel, however, he has been unable to find producers for his work in Egypt, and none of his 25 plays have been performed there for many years. The following are excerpts from an interview with 'Ali Salem in the London Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat in June 2006.

Ali Salem, Egypt's most prominent playwright, has been banished from his country's cultural circles due to his views favoring normalization with Israel.  Since his first trip to Israel, however, he has been unable to find producers for his work in Egypt, and none of his 25 plays have been performed there for many years. The following are excerpts from an interview with 'Ali Salem in the London Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat in June 2006.

Ali Salem speaks about peace war and the Arab public opinion in Al-Jazeera's al-Itijah al-Mua'kis, August 8, 2006.