# Mohamed Morsi

Mohamed Morsi (8 August 1951 – 17 June 2019) was an Egyptian politician who served as the fifth President of Egypt. He was deposed by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

## Quotes

* The Zionists have no right to the land of Palestine. There is no place for them on the land of Palestine. What they took before 1947-8 constitutes plunder, and what they are doing now is a continuation of this plundering. By no means do we recognize their Green Line. The land of Palestine belongs to the Palestinians, not to the Zionists.
** Morsi in 2010, as quoted by Rod Freidman in Egypt’s Morsi, in 2010 interviews posted online, called Zionists ‘bloodsuckers’ and descendants of pigs, urged to sever all ties with Israel, Times of Israel (4 January, 2013)
* These futile [Israeli-Palestinian] negotiations are a waste of time and opportunities. The Zionists buy time and gain more opportunities, as the Palestinians, the Arabs, and the Muslims lose time and opportunities, and they get nothing out of it. We can see how this dream has dissipated. This dream has always been an illusion… This [Palestinian] Authority was created by the Zionist and American enemies for the sole purpose of opposing the will of the Palestinian people and its interests... No reasonable person can expect any progress on this track. Either [you accept] the Zionists and everything they want, or else it is war. This is what these occupiers of the land of Palestine know — these blood-suckers, who attack the Palestinians, these warmongers, the descendants of apes and pigs.
** Morsi in 2010, as quoted by Rod Freidman in Egypt’s Morsi, in 2010 interviews posted online, called Zionists ‘bloodsuckers’ and descendants of pigs, urged to sever all ties with Israel, Times of Israel (4 January, 2013)
* I will treat everyone equally and be a servant of the Egyptian people.
** Mohamed Morsi in 2012, as quoted in Egypt's Morsi goes from prisoner to president, Yedioth Ahronoth (24 June, 2012)
* We Egyptians reject any kind of assault or insult against our prophet, but it is our duty to protect our guests and visitors from abroad.
** Mohamed Morsi in 2012, as quoted in Mohamed Morsi: a spectacular balancing act, The Guardian (16 September, 2012)
* The president of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the commander of the armed forces, full stop. Egypt now is a real civil state. It is not theocratic, it is not military. It is democratic, free, constitutional, lawful and modern.
** Mohamed Morsi in 2012, as quoted in Egypt’s New Leader Spells Out Terms for U.S.-Arab Ties, The New York Times (22 September, 2012)
* I’m very keen on having true freedom of expression. True freedom of faith. And free practice of religious faith. I am keen and I will always be keen on [transfer] of power. I’m an elected President. My chief responsibility is to maintain the national ship to go through this transitional period. This is not easy. Egyptians are determined to [move] forward within the path of freedom and democracy, and this is what I see. Justice and social justice. Development with its comprehensive overall meaning. Human development. Industrial productive development. Scholarly research. Political development. International relations balanced with all different parties, east and west. We are keen in Egypt, and I am personally keen right now, on maintaining freedom, democracy, justice and social justice. The Muslim Brotherhood do not say anything different from that.
** Mohamed Morsi in 2012, as quoted in An Interview with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi: ‘We’re Learning How to Be Free’, Time Magazine (28 November, 2012)
* The Egyptian people and army are supporting the Syrian uprising.
** Mohamed Morsi in 2013, as quoted in Egypt's Morsi severs ties with Syria, warns of 'counter-revolution violence', Ahram Online (15 June, 2013)
* Today, I present an audit of my first year, with full transparency, along with a roadmap. Some things were achieved and others not, I have made mistakes on a number of issues.
** Mohamed Morsi in 2013, as quoted in Egypt's Mohamed Morsi: I have made mistakes, The Guardian (26 June, 2013)
* Gedan (Absolutely), they’re busy now with the affairs of the army itself.
** Morsi replied the question whether he trusted on army in 29 June 2013, as quoted in How Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first elected president, ended up on death row, The Guardian (1 June, 2015)
* Over my dead body!
** Morsi replied to general Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in 1 July 2013, two days before the army eventually ousted him after a year in office, as quoted in Mohamed Morsi's final days – the inside story, The Guardian (5 July, 2013)
* This court, with all due respect to the people in it, is not specialised to deal with the trial of the president of the republic. This is a coup. I am held against my will. The coup is treasonous and a crime, and I am president of the republic.
** Morsi in first words in public since he was deposed by army in July, as quoted in 'I am the president of the republic' – chaos in court as Morsi stands trial, The Guardian (4 November, 2013)
* On 3 July [2013], I was surprised by military chiefs suspending the constitution and toppling the president: if this is not a coup, then what is?
** Mohamed Morsi in his trial in 2015, as quoted in Mohamed Morsi rails against Sisi ‘coup’ at Egypt espionage trial, The Guardian (18 January, 2015)
* They want to pass a life sentence for democracy in Egypt.
** Mohamed Morsi after sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2015, as quoted in Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi sentenced to 20 years in prison, The Guardian (21 April, 2015)

## Quotes about Morsi

* Morsi when he was studying at the USC where "he performed very well" in his graduate courses. To my knowledge, Morsi was an excellent student researcher. He published five papers based on his PhD dissertation; three of them appeared in one of the best journals on ceramics. At no time did I notice any indication that his views were strong in terms of religion. Based on my interaction with him, I did not anticipate that one day Morsi would be one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. After returning to Egypt, it seems that he did not continue his research efforts most probably as a result of him changing his interest from sciences to politics.
** Farghalli Mohamed, currently a chemical engineer at the University of California, Irvine, as quoted in A university professor becomes Egypt's president, Nature (26 June, 2012)
* This is a president threatening his own people. We don't consider him the president of Egypt.
** Mohamed Abdelaziz, as quoted in Egypt army deployed amid Cairo tension, BBC News (3 July, 2013)
* Mr Morsi unfortunately undermined his own legitimacy by declaring himself as a pharaoh.
** Mohamed ElBaradei, as quoted in Egypt army permits 'peaceful protest' amid Morsi anger, BBC News (5 July, 2013)
* We call on the international community to act to withdraw these death sentences, given under the instructions of the coup regime, and to put an end to this path which could seriously endanger the peace of Egyptian society.
** Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after Morsi sentenced to death, as quoted in Egypt faces condemnation over Morsi death sentences, Al Jazeera (16 June, 2015)
* Morsi was killed, he did not die of natural causes.
** Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as quoted in Turkish leader says Egypt’s Morsi was ‘killed,’ vows justice, The Times of Israel (19 June, 2019)
* Palestine was in Morsi's mind and heart even before he became president.
** Ismail Haniyeh, as quoted in Hamas: Palestine was always in mind and heart of Morsi, Anadolu Ajansı (20 June, 2019)