“President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s Address after Friday Prayer at al‑Azhar Mosque during the 1956 Aggression:
Brothers,
The world today is living through decisive hours in its history. The world is passing through moments that will determine its fate — indeed, the fate of all humanity. The world is experiencing a critical moment in which the destinies of all people are being shaped. The world today is threatened from end to end; humanity itself is under threat. Are we — here in Egypt — responsible for this threat? Are we responsible for what the world is facing today?
Egypt has declared its policy, a policy grounded in preserving its freedom and independence, and in its commitment to peace. At every time and in every place — and I spoke in your name — we called for peace. In Bandung we called for peace; in Brioni we called for peace; in Egypt we called for peace. But we also called for the preservation of our freedom, our independence, and our right to life.
There is a difference between peace and surrender — a difference between peace and surrender. Our declared policy is that we live free — free in our own land. Our policy is that Egypt belongs to us; its policy is independent. We will not be anyone’s tail, we will not be followers, we will not take orders from London. Our policy springs from our conscience, from our spirit. We said here that we want to live a free life, an independent life, a dignified and honorable life — and at the same time, brothers, we called for peace.
Who is responsible today for the threat surrounding the entire world? Is Egypt responsible? Egypt — the young nation that rose to build itself, to create, to develop, and to defend its very existence? Or are those responsible the greedy powers who wanted us to be their tail, their colony, their estate — who wanted us to take orders from them, to abandon our freedom and independence, to give up our dignity and our honor?
Who is responsible for threatening the world with destruction today? Those responsible, brothers, are the greedy colonialists, the merchants of war who seek to enslave nations — those who today threaten the world with a great world war that could annihilate all humanity. They are the aggressors who came to our land, attacked us, attacked our men, and violated our soil.
We tried by every means to save peace, to save our dignity and our honor, and to preserve our independence. And I have always told you: there is a difference, brothers, between peace and surrender. If we call for peace, we call for a peace with dignity, honor, and pride — and this in no way means surrender. We defend peace with our blood, with our sweat, with our labor. And we know with absolute certainty the difference between peace and surrender.
Peace, brothers, means that we live a free and dignified life — enjoying our freedom, independence, honor, and dignity; enjoying our land; enjoying the right to govern ourselves. This is peace. But surrender — which the aggressors desired — means that we hand over leadership to them, take orders from them, carry out their demands, and become their tail.
Egypt has pledged — pledged before the entire world — that when it defends its freedom and independence and calls for peace, it knows with certainty the difference between peace and surrender. Egypt and all its sons have declared that in order to preserve these great objectives, they will fight for peace, fight for freedom, and fight for independence. Every one of its sons knows what peace is, and every one of its sons knows that preserving peace requires effort and struggle — requires sweat and blood. Every one of its sons seeks to preserve peace, and preserving peace does not in any way mean surrender.
This is our position, citizens — this has been our position since this revolution rose to save Egypt from long occupation, since this revolution rose to build Egypt’s material and moral strength. These are the goals we have proclaimed. But did colonialism leave us alone? Did the merchants of war leave us? Did they leave us after we freed ourselves from long occupation so that our national character could grow, so that every Egyptian could feel his dignity, his honor, and his right to life?
Colonialism never accepted to see Egypt liberated after so long a period of bondage. Colonialism never accepted to see Egypt raise its head to the sky — united, strong, cohesive — calling for freedom and independence, calling for peace. Colonialism was always lying in wait for us, always demanding that you and I be its followers. And when I refused, brothers, to be a follower, I refused in your name — in the name of your dignity, your freedom, your honor, and your land.”