Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan received a tumultuous welcome here today from shoppers and store owners at the famous Khan Khalili market in Cairo’s old city. Egyptian security men shouted and shoved to keep a distance between Dayan and his wife Rachel, and the milling mob around them.
The Israeli security men began to look anxious when, as the Minister and his party struggled towards their cars, the crowd chanted in harmony “B’ruh, B’dom, Nifkid Ya Sadat, ” the traditional political chant which can eventually whip a throng into an ecstasy of enthusiasm. Dayan himself, on the other hand, seemed delighted. He brushed aside the security men and repeatedly seized outstretched hands in warm grips. Earlier, he and his entourage had hunted for bargains in one of the market’s many antique shops.
The Foreign Minister seemed fascinated by an erudite guide’s explanations at the pyramids in Giza and the Sphinx nearby. His questions reflected his own keen pursuit of ancient Egyptian archaeological treasures. The entire area of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, which usually hums with tourist traffic was cleared for Dayan’s visit in mid-afternoon and a serene stillness pervaded the otherwise raucous site.
All the camel drivers and muleteers who offer their beasts to tourists for photo opportunities were required to remove themselves and their animals in good time. Even the dung which is usually strewn around the spot was swept away.
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