A rare audio recording featuring the voices of late Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and other Arab leaders was released on Monday, stirring significant public debate in Egypt. According to the information shared, the recording was made on August 4, 1970—just two months before Nasser’s death.
In the recording, Nasser is heard acknowledging that the Arab world lacks the military capability to confront Israel. “The Jews are superior to us in everything—better than us on land and better than us at sea. If we want to achieve a goal, we need to be realistic and understand how to get there,” Nasser says.
He also noted that the US supports Israel and named Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Yemen, and Palestinian organizations as the key actors in the regional struggle. “If anyone wants to fight, let him fight on his own,” he added.
Nasser also appeared open to a partial peace agreement in exchange for the territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, while criticizing Arab states that merely make rhetorical “price offers” without taking real action.
Although the Library of Alexandria denied releasing the recording, its authenticity has not been publicly disputed. Nasser’s son, Abdel Hamid Abdel Nasser, claimed the audio came from his father’s personal archive and insisted it does not tarnish his legacy.
Recording elicits varying reactions in Egypt
The recording has generated a wave of reactions in Egypt, especially amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Some see its release as an attempt to damage national morale, while others argue it reflects Nasser’s pragmatism and prioritization of national interests over ideological confrontation.
Following the tape’s release, several Egyptian parliamentarians have called for the passage of a freedom of information law that would permit broader access to historical government records.
Others, including military experts and retired generals, asserted that the remarks illustrate Nasser’s belief in adapting policy toward Israel based on political realities, rather than pursuing an all-out war approach.
The controversy surrounding the recording has reignited a long-standing debate in Egyptian society: how the country should respond to developments in the Palestinian arena, and whether Egypt should be drawn into future regional conflicts—a dilemma that remains pressing more than fifty years after Nasser’s remarks.
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