Egyptian lawmaker Tawfik Okasha knew exactly what he was doing. Despite being aware of his countrymen's stance regarding the nation's ties with Israel, he, nonetheless, invited Israeli ambassador Haim Koren to dinner at his house last week, according to Reuters. What he did not expect, however, was that he would be facing retribution Sunday in the form of a shoe.
Okasha's invitation, which was broadcast on national television, caused much rage across Egypt, mainly due to the fact that most Egyptians still carry a significant dislike for their Jewish neighbors. Despite the unpopularity of his invitation, Okasha still went through with the dinner, where he and the ambassador talked about a number of pertinent issues, reported the Jerusalem Press.
During Sunday's session, a number of Okasha's colleagues showed their outrage at the event, with several lawmakers demanding that the daring Okasha be dismissed or suspended for his actions.
However, none of the lawmakers were as angry as MP Kamal Ahmed, who, at some point during the session, removed his shoe and smacked Okasha with it. The attack, and the ensuing chaos, ultimately prompted the speaker of the parliament to throw both Ahmed and Okasha out of the session, reported Breaking Israel News.
"I want to shoot him. What I did reflects the nation's opinion. I did what I did because I am an MP and a representative of the people. Every time I see him, I'll hit him with a shoe," Ahmed later said.
Ever defiant, Okasha stated his rebuttal over his colleagues' rage, stating that he has done nothing wrong considering that Egypt and Israel have a full diplomatic relationship.
"I acknowledge the State of Israel, and all the agreements between the countries are in line with my views," he said.
