Egypt’s Voice of Cairo Radio Continues Hebrew Broadcasts Targeting Israel After 70 Years

Voice of Cairo, an Egyptian radio station broadcasting in Hebrew, has been transmitting since May 3, 1953, with the goal of psychological warfare against Israel. Established under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the station aimed to undermine Israeli morale, bypass military censorship, and spread false information during conflicts, particularly during the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Its broadcasts included aggressive rhetoric, military music, and dramatic reports, as well as live interviews with Israeli prisoners of war, notably Colonel Asaf Yaguri, which caused significant distrust among Israeli citizens toward their government.

During the United Arab Republic period (1958-1961), the station was renamed "Voice of the UAR from Cairo" but reverted to Voice of Cairo afterward. Its peak influence was during the Six-Day War when it falsely reported Arab victories, which later became a subject of ridicule in Israel. After President Anwar Sadat’s 1977 visit to Jerusalem, the station briefly adopted the name "Voice of Peace from Cairo" and softened its tone to promote peace and normalization, before returning to its original name.

Despite the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, the station resumed Hebrew broadcasts in 2019 with less aggressive content, focusing more on Israeli and Palestinian issues from an Egyptian perspective. However, its direct impact on Israeli public opinion has been minimal in recent decades, with virtually no Israeli listeners today. The station remains a symbol of classic Arab radio propaganda and continues to broadcast daily from Cairo, maintaining its role in psychological operations against Israel by praising Egypt’s role in the Palestinian cause and criticizing Israeli leaders.

The station’s legacy highlights Egypt’s long-standing strategy of combining military and information warfare against Israel, reflecting the broader Arab-Israeli conflict’s historical and psychological dimensions. Although largely obsolete in influence, Voice of Cairo persists as a historical artifact and ongoing propaganda tool.