A former Israeli soldier sparked angry reactions and widespread resentment on social media after posting videos documenting his trip to Cairo.
The former Israeli soldier, “Gal the Moscheler,” appeared strolling through the streets of Cairo and visiting some historical sites, making comments that many saw as an insult to Egypt and its people. The videos he posted raised questions about how he entered the country and the circumstances that allowed him freedom of movement.
“The Moscheler” served in the Paratroopers Brigade of the Israeli army in 2010, and posted videos of his visit to the Citadel of Saladin and the Giza Pyramids, in addition to tours of popular areas, through his accounts on Facebook.
In his videos, he focused on filming scenes of poverty and popular areas, accompanied by harsh comments, where he described a person he shook hands with as having a “dirty hand,” and described the country as “the India of Muslims.”
The date of his visit to Egypt has not been precisely determined, but his videos began to appear since the end of last November, and he is still publishing new parts of them until now.
In translated posts, “The Moscheler” stated that he entered Egypt via Jordan using a European passport, and hid his Israeli passport during the trip, adding that he presented himself as a European “to avoid problems,” as he put it.
He also claimed that he hid his Israeli passport inside his shoe, considering that revealing his identity might expose him to danger, and described himself as an “adventurer living on the edge.”
In a different context, “The Moscheler” sought to make a comparison between Cairo and Sinai, where he portrayed the latter as a “safe area for tourists,” while he described Egypt and its cities as “hostile to Jews.”
