Born: September 23, 1923 Died: February 17, 2016
Leading Egyptian journalist rose to prominence as editor in chief of Egypt’s Al-Ahram and has been a commentator on Arab affairs for more than 50 years. Heikal was a close associate of President Gamal Abdel Nasser and his insight into regional affairs was highly respected by many Arab leaders.
After Nasser’s death in 1970, Heikal played a key role in ensuring that his successor Anwar Sadat consolidated power as president, advising him to push out Nasser loyalists. Heikal later fell out with Sadat after Al-Ahram criticized the president. He was arrested along with hundreds of other figures seen as a threat to Sadat’s policies, including the 1979 peace treaty with Israel and economic liberalization. He was released after President Hosni Mubarak came to power following Sadat’s assassination by Islamist militants in 1981. Heikal kept a low profile abroad until the 2000s, when he returned to Egypt and became a regular commentator, hosting his own television program and resuming his well-known columns.
