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Underground Egyptian Group Wants Peace with Israel, End USSR Domination

November 29, 1971
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An anonymous Egyptian who described himself as a spokesman for “thousands” of Egyptians in an underground organization called the “National Front” said today that his group wanted peace with Israel and an Egypt free from Soviet domination. The spokesman appeared on a television interview that was taped in Cairo by the Arabic-speaking Dutch TV correspondent Hans Jansen and broadcast here today. He said Egypt and Israel could arrive at a political solution of their conflict provided that Israel withdraws from the occupied Arab territories, such as the Sinai.

The spokesman claimed that the “National Front” membership was made up of “thousands of students and workers” as well as Egyptian Army and Air Force personnel. He said the movement was especially opposed to the presence of Russians who control his country’s arsenals “which are now inaccessible even to Egyptian officers.” He said the “National Front” was responsible for recent attacks on the government television station and on the Zamalik quarter of Cairo where many Russians live. He described the attacks as a “warning” of future actions that could lead to bloodshed. The spokesman said the “National Front” advocated a liberal socialist Egypt with free elections.

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