Mubarak passes away, military funeral today
The presidency and armed forces mourn ex-president as a hero and the former air force officer will be given a military funeral; tributes pour in from the middle east and Washington
Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak has died at the age of 91, state television said on Tuesday, weeks after undergoing surgery.
A military funeral was planned for Wednesday, to be followed by three days of mourning, said the office of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.
Mubarak’s brother-in-law, General Mounir Thabet, told reporter that the family was by Mubarak’s side at the hospital.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sent a cable of condolences to Sisi on the death of Hosni Mubarak.
In the cable, Sheikh Khalifa expressed his heartfelt condolences and solace on the death of Hosni Mubarak.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also dispatched similar cables of condolences to the Egyptian President.
His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, also sent a cable of condolences to Sisi on the death of Mubarak.
In the cable, he expressed his heartfelt condolences and sympathy on the death of Hosni Mubarak.
State TV said Mubarak died at a Cairo hospital where he had undergone an unspecified surgery. The report said he had health complications but offered no other details.
One of his sons, Alaa, announced over the weekend that the former president was in an intensive care after undergoing surgery.
Sisi offered condolences and praised Mubarak’s service during the 1973 war with Israel. He announced three days of national mourning beginning Wednesday.
“The Presidency mourns with great sorrow the former President of the Republic, Mr. Mohammed Hosni Mubarak,” he said in a statement. It referred to Mubarak as “one of the leaders and heroes of the glorious October war, as he assumed command of the Air Force during the war that restored dignity and pride to the Arab nation.”
His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, also sent as cable of condolences to Sisi.
In the cable, Sheikh Saud expressed his heartfelt sympathy on the death of Hosni Mubarak.
The UAE’S Ministry of Presidential Affairs also mourned the death of Hosni Mubarak.
The ministry issued a statement saying, “Today, the Arab world has lost a prominent leader who devoted his life to the service of his country and the Arab world. Hosni Mubarak had a special relationship with the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and a strong bond with The President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who together helped bolster ties between the two countries further.”
According to the statement, the UAE President has ordered for the UAE flag to be flown at half-mast across the country’s government bodies and diplomatic missions abroad for a one-day period.
Mubarak had long battled illness and was recently admitted to a Cairo military hospital’s intensive care unit, as media speculated on whether he suffered cancer, heart troubles or respiratory ailments.
Tributes poured in from leaders in the Middle East, where Mubarak’s Egypt, a key ally of the United States, had at times served as a mediator, especially in the Israeli-palestinian conflict.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he mourned the death “with great sorrow” and hailed Mubarak’s support of the Palestinian cause.
Mubarak became vice president in 1975 before taking power in 1981, following the assassination of former president Anwar Al Sadat. Mubarak was sitting near Sadat but survived, going on to dodge bullets during several more attempts on his life, including one by militants in 1995 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
He remained head of state for three decades.
Mubarak had a special relationship with Sheikh Zayed: UAE; leaders send condolences to Sisi; UAE flag to fly at half-mast for a day; Egypt declares three-day mourning.
Egypt’s presidency announced three days of nationwide public mourning, starting on Wednesday, following the death of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Mubarak died on Tuesday at the age of 91. Egypt’s presidency and armed forces mourned him as a hero for his role in the 1973 Arab-israeli war and the former air force officer will be given a military funeral.
State television played clips of Mubarak with a black ribbon at the corner of the screen. President Abdel Fatah Al Sisi offered condolences and praised Mubarak’s service during the 1973 war with Israel but made no mention of Mubarak’s almost three-decade rule as president of the most populous Arab state.
He announced three days of national mourning beginning on Wednesday.
“The Presidency mourns with great sorrow the former President of the Republic, Mr Mohammed Hosni Mubarak,” he said in a statement. It referred to Mubarak as “one of the leaders and heroes of the glorious October war, as he assumed command of the Air Force during the war that restored dignity and pride to the Arab nation.”
“We had good and bad memories,” said Sherin Saad, a woman in her 30s.
Atef Bayoumi, walking on the Nile Corniche in central Cairo, said: “He was a patriot. Regardless of the final events, he surely did good things for the country.”
There was no immediate reaction from Western capitals.
State TV said Mubarak died at a Cairo hospital where he had undergone an unspecified surgery few weeks ago.
The report said he had health complications but offered no other details.
One of his sons, Alaa, announced over the weekend that the former president was in an intensive care after undergoing surgery.
Born in May 1928, Mubarak was vice president on Oct. 6, 1981. Within Egypt he kept the country out of armed conflicts.
Tributes poured in from leaders in the Middle East.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said
Egyptian ex-president Hosni Mubarak “spent his life serving his homeland and the issues of righteousness and justice in the world, with the issue of our Palestinian people at the top of them.”
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdul Azizn, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the United Arab Emirates also released statements offering condolences and mourning Mubarak.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo extended condolences and said the US will continue to work with the current government “to develop a better partnership with Egypt.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “deep sorrow” over Mubarak’s death. “President Mubarak, a personal friend of mine, was a leader who guided his people to peace and security, to peace with Israel,” Netanyahu said.
The former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed El Baradei, who was a key opposition figure in the waning years of Mubarak, paid his respects.
“May God have mercy on the former president and grant his family patience and comfort,” he said on Twitter.
Wael Ghoneim, an activist said on social media, “he was loyal and loving of Egypt. He took on a great responsibility towards the Egyptian people,” wrote Ghoneim on Twitter.
“He was right a lot of the time and also wrong a lot of the time. History will decide.”
Former presidential candidate Ayman Nour -- who ran against Mubarak in multi-candidate elections, lost and was subsequently jailed -- was also conciliatory in his tone.
“I promise to God I personally forgive him,” he said.
Mubarak, a determined foe of militancy, gave sweeping powers to the country’s security services.
Internationally, Mubarak garnered respect as a regional power broker, including in the Israeli-palestinian conflict.
As a staunch US ally, Egypt took billions in military aid and agreed to liberalise its economy, especially in the crucial tourism sector.
The long-time president started off as a military pilot and was commander of the air force in the 1973 war with Israel.