In Egypt, the Jews' departure went hand in hand with the ouster of foreigners who had settled years earlier and turned Cairo into a capital of all-night cafes and open-air cinemas, where it was possible to hear people conversing in four or five languages -- French, English, Italian, Greek, Arabic -- in the same breath. According to Khairi Abaza, as many as a million Europeans once called Egypt home, every bit as much as Paris or London or Athens.

CLIME Senior Fellow Khairi Abaza comments on Egypt's role in the current Middle East crisis: "The Egyptian-American strategic dialogue - resumed during the visit of Egypt's Foreign Affairs minister - focused on the situation in Lebanon. Generaly speaking, Egypt is an ally of the United States and there is an understanding on foreign policy matters between the two countries; unlike matters related to internal Egyptian politics where the two countries hold different views."

Once again, the Egyptian regime has responded to violence at home by consolidating the authoritarian structure of the state. On April 30, following two deadly terrorist attacks in the Sinai, President Hosni Mubarak extended the emergency laws that have stifled Egyptian liberties since 1981. Then, just last week, Cairo looked like an army garrison when 10,000 police and security forces cracked down on pro-democracy activists demonstrating to express their support for an independent judiciary.

Once again, the Egyptian regime has responded to violence at home by consolidating the authoritarian structure of the state. On April 30, following two deadly terrorist attacks in the Sinai, President Hosni Mubarak extended the emergency laws that have stifled Egyptian liberties since 1981. Then, just last week, Cairo looked like an army garrison when 10,000 police and security forces cracked down on pro-democracy activists demonstrating to express their support for an independent judiciary.