Reports of persecution of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority topped coverage of Egypt in the foreign press this morning. A report by the Open Doors charity organization claims that Coptic Christians are suffering from unprecedented levels of persecution, particularly with the recent wave of attacks on churches that has prevented worshippers from being able to gather normally. The report says 128 Christians were killed in Egypt for their faith and more than 200 were driven out of their homes in 2017, attributing the rise in persecution to “the overspill of Islamic terrorists driven out of Iraq and Syria”. The report is being widely covered, most notably by the Guardian.

Some Al-Azhar officials seem to “either have an ambivalent attitude or a two-faced” attitude regarding tolerance towards Christians in Egypt, AZ Mohamed writes for Gatestone Institute, citing a MEMRI report. Mohamed says the clerics are not following direction from Ittihadiya on pushing a more tolerant view because of the influence of extremist ideology and their uncertainty regarding both their public image and their popularity if they yield to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s demands. “These reservations seem especially charged in the context of rivalries for religious leadership in Egypt, and signs of support for Al Azhar from the parliament, the media and the public. Possibly even more persuasive is the fear of gradually losing all power.”

Egypt is hoping that Russia’s resumption of flights to Cairo will encourage the UK to lift its ban on flights to Sharm El Sheikh, TTG says. The UK’s insistence on keeping its ban on the Sharm El Sheikh airport is “extremely frustrating,” especially since the FCO does not have any security warnings in place for the town itself, UK and Ireland director at the Egyptian Tourism Authority Amr El Ezaby tells TTG. According to El Ezaby, “authorities had made GBP 20 mn worth of investments in airport security as well as improving infrastructure in the wider resort.” Persistent demand from the British market for vacations in Sharm El Sheikh throughout last year should also spur the British government to action, El Ezaby says.

Worth skimming in brief this morning:

• Daesh has set its sights on the Gaza strip in attempts that should worry not only Palestinians, but Israel and Egypt as well, Bassam Tawil writes for Gatestone Institute.
• With gas from the Zohr field flowing, plans are in place to make fuel distribution more efficient and expand wind power, Gerald Butt writes for Petroleum Economist.
• Italian investigators seized yesterday the computer and cell phone of Giulio Regeni’s Cambridge University professor, Maha Abdelrahman, Reuters reports.