The West, long viewed by Egyptians as a beacon of democracy, economic opportunity, and cultural aspiration, has lost much of its appeal. Instead, skepticism and disillusionment are reshaping how Egyptians see the Western world. The dreams of Western ideals, progress, and opportunity seemed within reach for many Egyptians years ago. According to a 2014 survey by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), 17.2 percent of Egyptians aged 15 to 29 wanted to leave the country, a slight drop from 18.3 percent in 2009. Today, however, that optimism has faded, driven by political fragmentation marked by the rise of both far-left and far-right movements as well as the ongoing war in Gaza. While Western governments continue to champion democracy and human rights in principle, their unwavering backing of Israel has led many to question the sincerity of those values. The perceived hypocrisy has deepened public skepticism toward Western intentions, casting doubt on the moral authority such nations claim to uphold. “The double standards in foreign policy have become impossible to stomach,” Ahmed Atallah, a 40-year-old software engineer who emigrated to the United States in 2008, told Egyptian Streets. …
