CAIRO

- When Omar Sharif was twenty years old, the July 1952 revolution took place, and the Free Officers took over the rule of Egypt, showing the young man's enthusiasm for the new stage like other young people.

Al-Sharif says - in a press interview - that he was happy with the July 1952 revolution, as he was an enthusiastic young man participating in demonstrations in support of the Wafd Party before the revolution.

Despite his family's friendship with King Farouk's family, he loved Nasser, but he soon became angry due to the imposition of the entry and exit visa system on representatives and the condition of obtaining a visa for good conduct before traveling as well.

Omar Sharif also described President Abdel Nasser as crazy, and that he led Egypt to the abyss, and added: “The poor, the poor and the Egyptian peasants believed Abdel Nasser and were led behind his recklessness, and unfortunately I will never forget how I was mocked in front of the Americans at the time, they were mocking my Egyptian nationality, to the point that I cried from humiliation. Which I was subjected to because of him,” according to what Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper reported on the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper.

Salah Nasr intelligence

After Sharif married the artist Faten Hamama, the Director of Intelligence Salah Nasr tried to include them in the spy network in which he uses the most famous artists. Nasr visited them in their home in the Zamalek neighborhood, and asked them to inform him of the news of artists in Egypt, and stated that this was "for the security and safety of the country." .

Al-Sharif did not know what he should respond with to the director of intelligence, but his wife, Faten Hamama, answered with clarity and courage that she refuses to play this role against any colleague or female colleague.

Al-Sharif also admitted his mistake in acting in the movie “Haunted Girl” with actress Barbara Streisand, whose events were about the relationship of a Jewish young man with a Jewish girl in New York City. June 1967, and confesses that he fell in love with Barbara during the filming of the movie.

Sadat

“A very important historical role.” This is how Sharif describes the role he played in the peace agreement. President Anwar Sadat called him when Sharif was in Paris, and asked him: What do you think if I went to Israel, would they welcome me?

Then Sadat asked him to ask Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin himself.

Al-Sharif went to the Israeli embassy in Paris, and asked to contact Begin, spoke to him by phone, and conveyed Sadat’s message to him, and asked him: “If Sadat came to Israel for peace, how would you receive him?” Begin replied: “I will receive him as Christ.”

Al-Sharif did not know how to reach Sadat in reply, and the ambassador helped him in contacting him, and conveyed to him Begin's message.

Because of Sharif's mediation between Sadat and Begin, he was accused of normalization with Israel, especially when he was offered to take over the presidency of the Cairo International Film Festival after the death of writer Saad Eddin Wahba, and he faced a great storm of criticism.

Blessing

Sharif's relationship with Mubarak did not solidify, and their relationship remained superficial, while Suzanne Mubarak asked him to accompany her to parties while she was in Paris and in the United States.

The Sharif also rejected Mubarak’s succession of the rule to his son Gamal Mubarak, and said: “I am against succession, and against the idea of ​​inflating any family, and from the days of the monarchy, I do not like to inherit rule in kings.”

He believed that Mubarak had failed to improve the standard of living of the average citizen, and made most Egyptians poor.

Departure in Cairo

After a busy life between Europe and America, Sharif decided to return to Egypt, where he said - months before his death - in a television interview with artist Samir Sabry that he was happy to be in Cairo, and that he wanted to die in it, "I came here, I want to die here in Egypt."

Al-Sharif passed away in Cairo on this day, July 10, 2015, at the age of 83, following a heart attack in a hospital where he was being treated for Alzheimer's disease.

Al-Sharif began his career in Egyptian cinema, to present a group of the most famous films of the fifties and sixties before his international launch, the most important of which are: “Struggle in the Valley”, “Struggle in the Mina”, “Our Sweet Days”, “A Rumor of Love” and “In Our Home Man", "The River of Love", and "The Lady of the Palace".

He presented many distinguished roles in international films, such as: "Doctor Guevara" and "Lawrence of Arabia", and was nominated for an Academy Award, and won 3 Golden Globe Awards.

After a busy career in Europe and America, he returned to Egypt to present more of his films in Egyptian cinema, the most important of which are "Al-Aragoz", "The Egyptian Citizen", "Laughter, Play, Find and Love", and also starred in the movie "Hassan and Morcos" with Adel Imam General. 2008.