Ali Salem, who was born in 1936 and passed away Tuesday at the age of 79, was an Egyptian author and playwright known for his sarcasm and fast wit. An avid political commentator and enthusiast, Salem was shunned due to his endorsement of the cooperation between the Egyptian and Israeli government.
However, his political views mattered little when it came down to his books and plays. With 25 plays and 15 books, Salem was pioneer in the industry and a strong household name.
Many of his plays are still watched by people of all ages. Though it debuted in 1971, Salem's "The School of Trouble Makers" play is one of the best Egyptian plays of all time. Salem also went on to make a number of other very successful plays such as "The Phantom of Heliopolis," "The Comedy of Oedipus," "The Man who Fooled the Angels" and "The Buffet."
In 1994, Salem wrote a book titled "My Drive to Israel." The book told the story of a trip he took to the country and following his 23 day stay, Salem said Israeli and Egyptian cooperation was possible and should be welcomed. The book went on to sell 60,000 copies, which made it a bestseller by Egyptian standards, but it proved problematic for the prominent playwright.
Salem was ostracized by the Egyptian community and was kicked out of the Writer's Syndicate under the allegations of promoting Israel. Furthermore, Salem was not able to find a producer for his works. In fact, he had two plays and one movie script that collected dust in his study.
Following the expulsion of Salem from cultural circles, "My Drive to Israel" was adapted by Ari Roth and was made into a play titled "Ali Salem Drives to Israel" and premiered in the U.S. in 2005; it was a major success for the playwright.
With all the troubles that followed Salem after the release of the books, he never regretted that decision and he always responded to his critics with the same response: "Hatred prevents us from knowing reality as it is."
For Salem, that was the whole reason behind his trip and his book; he simply wanted Egyptians and Israelis to stop hating each other.
Salem won the Train Foundation's Civil Courage Prize due to his opposition toward radical Islam and his support of Israel. He also went on to win an honorary doctorate from Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
With his death, Egyptians are now watching his most famous play, "The School of Trouble Makers." Get your popcorn on and celebrate Eid Al Adha with Egypt's most famous playwright.