Al-Laithi Abdel Nasser
Al-Laithi Abdel Nasser | |
|---|---|
| اليثي عبدالناصر | |
| Secretary of the Arab Socialist Union in Alexandria | |
| In office 1960s–1968 | |
| President | Gamal Abdel Nasser |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1920s |
| Died | November 19, 1976 |
| Party | Arab Socialist Union |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Gamal Abdel Nasser (brother) Tarek Abdel Nasser (brother) Aida Abdel Nasser (sister) Khalid Abdel Nasser (nephew) Hakim Abdel Nasser (nephew) Hoda Gamal Abdel Nasser (niece) |
Al-Laithi Abdel Nasser (Arabic: اليثي عبدالناصرC. 1920s – November 19, 1976) was an Egyptian political official and the brother of Egypt's second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser. He held significant influence in Alexandria, serving as the Secretary of the Arab Socialist Union (ASU) in the city during the 1960s.[1][2][3]
Early life
Al-Laithi was born in Alexandria, the son of Abdel Nasser Hussein, and Fahima Mohammad Hammad.[3] While his brother Gamal led the 1952 Revolution and became president, Al-Laithi remained a prominent figure in their home city of Alexandria.[3]
Nasser was known to have reprimanded Al-Laithi on several occasions to ensure that his political and commercial activities did not conflict with the presidency's image of state-led socialism and austerity.[4][5]
Political career
Al-Laithi rose to prominence as the Secretary of the Arab Socialist Union in Alexandria, which was the sole authorized political party in Egypt at the time.[1]
Historian Ahmad Hamroush noted that Al-Laithi's leadership in Alexandria was a key component of the political landscape in the mid-1960s, though it was often viewed by critics as a form of familial patronage.[2] Due to his extensive local influence, he was sometimes informally referred to in media and political circles as the "unofficial king of Alexandria".[3]
The 1968 Student Protests
Al-Laithi faced national criticism after the 1967 Six-Day War. In November 1968, students at Alexandria University demanded his removal, seeing him as a symbol of nepotism and corruption. These protests prompted the Nasser administration to consider political reforms.[1]
Later Life and Death
Subsequent to the death of Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970 and the Corrective Revolution led by his successor, Anwar Sadat, the political role of the Nasser family significantly diminished. Al-Laithi withdrew from his high-profile political roles as Sadat dismantled the old ASU structures.[3] Al-Laithi passed away on November 19, 1976. His death was noted in regional archives as the passing of a major figure from the revolutionary generation.[6] He was survived by his wife, Zeinat Abdel Latif.[7]
Controversy
In 2005, Al-Laithi's name re-emerged in public discourse due to a legal battle between his heirs and the Jewish Community of Alexandria. The dispute concerned a property in Alexandria formerly a school owned by the Menasce family which Al-Laithi had leased decades earlier.[4] The case highlighted the complexities of Egypt's "old rent" laws and the historical legacy of properties seized or leased during the socialist era.[4]
See also
- Gamal Abdel Nasser
- Arab Socialist Union (Egypt)
- 1968 protests in Egypt
- History of Egypt under Anwar Sadat
References
- ^ a b c Dekmejian, R. Hrair (1971). Egypt under Nasir; a study in political dynamics. Albany: State University of New York Press. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-87395-080-0. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ a b حمروش, أحمد [in Arabic] (1975). قصة ثورة 23 يوليو [The Story of the 23 July Revolution]. بيروت: دار الطليعة. p. 1088. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "A one of them was involved in massacre and the other owned Alexandria... Gamal Abdel Nasser's brothers". raseef22. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "Nasser's family and the Jews". alqabas. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "يسألونك عن "عبد الناصر".. قل زعيم وطني "سريره عهدة" حكومية" [They ask you about "Abdel Nasser"... Say a national leader, "his possessions are a government trust"]. Rose al-Yūsuf (magazine)|Rose al-Yūsuf (in Arabic). 2023-09-28. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ "وفاة الليثي عبد الناصر" [Death of Al-Laithi Abdel Nasser]. As-Safir (in Arabic). No. 953. 1976-11-19. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "توفيت إلى رحمة الله تعالى / زينات عبداللطيف عبدالرحمن" [Passed away to the mercy of God Almighty / Zeinat Abdel Latif Abdel Rahman]. Al-Ahram (in Arabic). 2024-11-13. Retrieved 26 February 2026.