Perhaps you do not know Egyptian dignitaries attended the founding ceremonies of the Hebrew University.

Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian wants to abolish Zionism. There are many who agree that the Jewish state has no right to exist as a Jewish state. Others took issue when, in the furor over her temporary and too-short-lived suspension from the Hebrew University, the institution was called a Zionist institution by its president in his emotional letter to her.

On The 100th Anniversary of The Balfour Declaration: An Inconvenient History For Egypt And Israel

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The Hebrew University was one of the early dreams of the Zionist movement, in 1918 construction commenced. Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed, the renowned Egyptian nationalist, political leader and first director of Cairo University joined the celebration for the grand opening of Hebrew University in 1925. In 1944, Taha Hussien, one of Egypt’s most influential literary figures also visited the Hebrew University.

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On Marefa entry on the Hebrew U, translated from the Arabic by Google Translate. This appears to be a combination news-site-wikipedia in Arabic

At the opening of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, many Arab intellectuals were invited to celebrate. Taha Hussein sent a congratulatory telegram, and the foundation stone laying ceremony for the university was attended by Ahmed Lutfi al-Sayyid, who was known as the “Professor of the Generation” in Egypt. The British authorities even imposed on the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Archbishop of Jerusalem Participating in laying the foundation stones at the university.[1] A Palestinian poet described what was happening:
God is great, all of this is for the sake of the university. Politics created it, and politics is deceptive
O Lord [2], I do not blame you, for you are the root of the tragedy. My blame is on Egypt, which extends shining palms to us
We complain to you, the people of Egypt, that the circumstances of the incident made the enemies believe that I am a divided nation

Another Palestinian poet said:
Advise me, by God, at the Kaaba, at the Black Stone, at the lowest corner, if it rises in its glory, gathered above the top of the mountain, reveling in lessons.
It became a Hebrew university, and the rabbi forbade it, ordering the sheikh and the priest to say, “Be careful.” The bishop and the mufti have a stone.

When it was opened, the university included three departments: the Institute of Judaic Sciences, the Institute of Microbiology, and the Institute of Chemistry, where 141 students studied, while the number of professors reached 33. In 1931, the university began granting Master’s degrees (MA).

Last modified: December 11, 2025