Give Golan back, says Egypt & UN 🇸🇾

Hey friends,

Just like Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America, Egypt’s national football team is readying for the 2026 World Cup and will be landing in a group with Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. Fans and staff are calling it a favorable draw but the magic of the World Cup is that no matchup is ever easy — just ask Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia.

Now let’s kick off with this new edition of the Egypt Weekly Roundup.

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• Egypt-UN want Israel out of the Golan 🇸🇾

• Strongest private-sector since 2020 💪

• TikTokers contamination controversy 🚰

MIDDLE EAST | OCCUPATION | ISRAEL-SYRIA
UN DECLARES ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION OF SYRIAN GOLAN HEIGHTS ILLEGAL

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a resolution declaring Israel’s continued occupation and de facto annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights illegal under international law, demanding a full Israeli withdrawal to the pre‑June 1967 lines. The resolution, submitted by Egypt, passed with 123 votes in favor, seven against, and 41 abstentions, underscoring broad international refusal to recognize Israel’s 1981 move to apply its own laws to the territory.​

Null and void: The resolution reiterates that Israel’s extension of its jurisdiction over the Golan is “null and void” and has no legal effect, tying this position explicitly to existing Security Council resolutions on the Arab–Israeli conflict. It stresses that continued occupation and annexation obstruct efforts to reach a just and lasting regional peace, placing the Golan question back at the center of post‑war settlement debates in the Levant.​

A new Syria: The resolution comes against the backdrop of dramatic shifts in Syria following the fall of the Bashar al‑Assad regime in late 2024, which have altered the military and political balance along the Golan front. In this fluid environment, Israel has reportedly pushed deeper into the demilitarized buffer zone established under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, raising fresh concerns over escalation and further entrenchment of its control.

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PMI | PRIVATE SECTOR
EGYPT’S NON-OIL PRIVATE SECTOR SEES STRONGEST UPTURN IN FIVE YEARS

Egypt’s non-oil private sector logged its biggest improvement in more than five years in November, as the S&P Global Egypt Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) climbed to 51.1 from 49.2 in October, moving back into expansion territory for the first time since February and reaching its highest level since October 2020.

A reading above 50 signals improving operating conditions, and S&P Global notes that a PMI of 51.1 historically corresponds to annual GDP growth of more than five percent, hinting at a robust finish to 2025.​

Demand rebounds as activity grows: Business activity rose for the first time since January at the fastest pace in five years, with broad-based growth across manufacturing, construction, and services. Wholesale and retail trade saw slight declines, while new orders picked up after eight months of slowdown.

Hiring still cautious: Despite stronger demand, employment stayed flat, extending the subdued staffing trend. Higher demand with unchanged headcounts pushed backlogs up for a third consecutive month, showing firms are stretching capacity rather than expanding payrolls.

Costs and outlook: Input cost inflation eased to an eight-month low, helped by a stronger Egyptian pound, though wage pressures persisted. Selling prices rose only slightly, marking the slowest increase in seven months. Firms remained cautiously optimistic, noting improving demand but slightly softer expectations than last month.

CONTENT CREATORS | ARRESTS
CONTENT CREATORS ARRESTED, THEN RELEASED, AFTER EXPOSING WATER CONTAMINATION

Two food content creators detained over viral videos alleging unsafe food products in Egypt have been released by the Damietta Public Prosecution on bail of EGP 50,000 each, pending further investigation. The pair were arrested after their clips, which claimed that certain items on the local market, including bottled water, were contaminated or misleading, drew wide attention and prompted swift responses from security and health authorities.​

Authorities’ stance: The Ministry of Interior says the two bloggers admitted to testing multiple products in different laboratories, filming results at home, and publishing them on social media with the aim of attracting views and financial gain. Officials argue that their claims about contaminated bottled water risked causing public panic and undermining trust in regulated goods, triggering a formal probe into the accuracy and impact of their content.​

The Ministry of Health’s spokesperson stressed that water testing in Egypt follows strict sampling and laboratory protocols, warning that mishandling samples can lead to misleading contamination results. He noted that citizens may request official tests, but results are valid only for the specific sample submitted and are not meant for broad public circulation, as food and water safety assessments are tightly regulated by the state.​

Content creators under watch: The case comes amid a broader pattern of arrests targeting Egyptian content creators, with figures like comedian Mohamed Abdel Aaty and TikToker Suzy El‑Ordoneya previously detained over material deemed offensive or immoral under public decency and morals laws.