An Egyptian court yesterday upheld a lower court decision rejecting the foundation of an Egyptian-Israeli Friendship Society.



The court ruled that "Egyptian society and the Arab peoples are not in need of false friendships as revealed by the oppressive practices of the Israeli government, and such matters should be left for the authority of the state, as practiced in the context of the agreement signed between the two countries."



Some two years ago, the Egyptian cinematographer Nabil Abdul Azeem applied to found the Egypt-Israel Friendship Society. Azeem was promptly expelled from the Egyptian Cinematographers Association, and an Egyptian administrative court denied the application to found the group. Egypt's State Information Service wrote at the time that the "alleged friendship society" might be used as a "bridge-head for penetrating the Egyptian community, jeopardizing its security, stability and cohesion," or possibly an "attempt at 'normalization,' a target long aspired by Israel and firmly rejected by the Egyptian people in reaction to Israeli flagrant aggressive practices."



Azeem appealed the original court decision to a higher court, which, as noted, rendered its final decision yesterday.