Poll: Egyptians Want Aid From Iran, Turkey, Not US
By Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters)
An overwhelming majority of Egyptians support replacing US economic aid with funds from Iran or Turkey, according to new poll results, while the proportion of those viewing the treaty with Israel as positive has remained steady at just under half.
Eighty-two percent of Egyptians questioned opposed US economic aid to Egypt - according to figures released this weekend by the US-based Gallup polling organization - up from 71% in December 2011 and 52% in April of that year.
The latest figures, released in 2010, show US assistance to Egypt standing at $1.7 billion - the fifth-highest foreign-aid package after Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel and Iraq. Still, $1.3 billion of that sum is earmarked for military purposes, and Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has given no indication it intends to cut its portion of Washington's package.
Egyptians' attitudes toward US aid appeared to have soured at the same time as American and European NGO employees faced charges of illegally accepting foreign funds and stirring unrest. The military council closed the NGOs in December, but a month ago dropped the charges against the six US workers and lifted the travel ban against them.
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