The Egyptian Government has revoked the nationality of a female citizen who joined the Israeli army.
Egypt's Prime Minister Sharif Ismail issued a decree last Sunday sanctioning Dina Mohammed Ali Al-Masry, now known as Dina Ovadia.
The decision was in compliance with Article 16 of the Egyptian constitution, which authorises the Prime Minister to strip citizens who join foreign armies of their nationality.
In April 2014 the Israeli army released a video online of conscript Ovadia in which she said in Arabic that her departure from leaving Egypt coincides the Jewish holiday of Passover, which celebrates the biblical story of the Jewish people’s exodus from Egypt.
According to Ahramonline, Ovadia said was brought up as Roulin Abdullah in El-Maamoura district, Alexandria till the age of 15 without knowing she was a Jew.
The 22-year-old claimed that her family left Egypt after radical Salafists stormed their home and threatened the family with harm if they remained in the country. They have all since travelled to Israel and occupied Jerusalem.
On 23 April 2014, Ovadia was honoured by the Israeli army spokesperson unit, and her story was featured as a ‘21st century exodus’ on the official army website. Ahramonline said that Ovadia's brother and sister have also served in the Israeli army. According to media reports, nine Egyptian Jews still live in Egypt by the end of 2014, reported Alanba.
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