Marrakech – Yasser Galal has apologized for his controversial claim about the Algerian army’s unproven role in 1967 Cairo.
“You have every right to be upset, and I apologize. I was wrong,” the Egyptian actor said Egyptian in a statement after sparking controversy with an unverified story he shared about the Algerian army’s alleged presence in Cairo.
The incident took place during the closing ceremony of the 13th Oran International Arabic Film Festival, where Galal was being honored with the Golden Lion Award.
While praising Algeria in his acceptance speech, his remarks unexpectedly shifted the tone of the celebration and triggered widespread criticism.
“After the 1967 war, there were rumors that Israel planned to land forces in Tahrir Square to cause chaos, and Algeria sent commandos who patrolled the area to protect Egyptian citizens,” Galal claimed during his speech.
The story, which Galal said was told to him by his late father, quickly circulated online, drawing backlash from social media commenters and Egyptian media figures who questioned the accuracy of his account.
Some even called for his dismissal from Egypt’s Senate, where he has served as a member for nearly a month.
Amid the growing criticism, the actor released a video apology, clarifying, “My father told me this story, and at the time there were many rumors. Perhaps he had been mistaken, and the information was not accurate.”
“After hearing from experts who said it was incorrect, I apologize for what I said. You have every right to be upset, I was wrong.”
Galal’s swift apology appears to have calmed some of the online uproar, though the episode has reignited discussions about the responsibility of public figures to verify historical claims before sharing them.
