Sisi to Egyptians: I haven’t let you down or deserted you

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned Egyptians about numerous conspiracies to destabilize the country in a speech on Wednesday to political and society representatives at the presidential palace.

Sisi claimed the recent deal with Saudi Arabia over two Egyptian islands is the result of conspiracies against the country.

The speech was aired live on national television, as the president addressed heads of parliamentary blocks, syndicates and other society representatives.

In an attempt to end the ongoing debate about the transfer of sovereignty concerning the Egyptian islands of Tiran and Sanafir, following a maritime border deal between the two countries on Friday, Sisi said, “All the documents tell me that they [the islands] belong to them,” explaining that the agreement is based on a presidential decree issued in 1990 that was sent to the United Nations. He said the government has been studying the issue since 2014 and has sought counsel from everyone with relevant experience and clearance. Sisi explained the move wasn't announced publicly before now, so as not to create too much instability.

“You don't know the harm of disclosing everything without limits, you are harming yourselves, I swear,” he said. He emphasized that he didn’t give up the rights of Egyptians, but gave Saudis their rights, which he asserted is "the right thing to do."

“My mother taught me not to take other people’s things.”

Sisi brought this section of his speech by an end by asking people not to talk about the issue anymore, and to leave it for Parliament to discuss.

The president moved on to address the case of tortured and murdered Italian researcher Guilio Regini, whose disappearance on January 25 has been largely blamed on the state's security apparatus. He didn’t announce any new developments in the case, but blamed local media for turning it into a problem for Egypt. Italy has taken several escalatory measures against Egypt, accusing investigators of not cooperating fully.

“No one can judge you for your ideas and directions, but don't harm your country,” he told the media sternly, adding that they shouldn’t consider social media a reliable source for reporting.

“There are evil people among us doing this work and questioning the state in everything it does,” he warned, adding, “There have been attempts to shake confidence in everything good, which may lead us to national suicide.”

Sisi also addressed human rights and freedoms, which have been criticized internationally under his governance, saying that the state is trying to balance maintaining security and human rights. He told Egyptians perfection is only for books and shouldn’t be demanded from the government.

Sisi said the state supports the role of civil society and is willing to revise its decisions and release anyone in prison who is proven innocent, but warned again about attempts to destabilize the country.

“Their last plan is to attack the state and cast doubts on it. There are attempts to conceal the truth and we have to be aware of this,” he said, adding that the severity of the attacks on Egypt is a mark of the nation's success.

The Egyptian state has been going “from one success to another,” he claimed, describing chronic problems that he said have been solved under his presidency, including electricity and infrastructure.

Sisi promised that there would be no price hikes for essential goods, and ended his speech pleading with Egyptians not to give up on him.

“I want to tell Egyptians one word at the end, I didn't let you down or desert you and never doubted your sincerity for one second, please treat me and the state the same way.”

Sisi shut down one participant at the meeting who attempted to comment after his speech, saying “I didn’t give anyone permission to speak.”