By Julie Webb-Pullman

In the last week much has been made of the purported failings of Morsi the President, and Morsi the politician.  He tried to do too much, or did too little, he took too much power (for his party), or not enough (from the military and security services). He went too fast, or not fast enough. Some identified a failing as his lack of charisma, comparing him to “the more charismatic Khairat El-Shater” or lauding the “charismatic, chisel-jawed Sisi” – as if charisma is a substitute for principled leadership, or political legitimacy.

We need only look to the United States and to Israel to see what unprincipled leadership charisma is capable of producing, including delivery on electoral promises. Remember the closure of Guantanamo and the reduction of unemployment promised by US President Barack Obama? Remember Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise to appoint former communications minister Moshe Kahlon as chairman of the Israel Lands Authority? And remember both of these leaders’ unstinting terrorism at home and abroad…

Morsi the man, by contrast, is who the majority of the Egyptian people elected in internationally-recognised free and fair elections, not for his charisma but for his humanity.

Morsi the man, unassuming, humble, human – and Muslim.

Morsi the Muslim man, who bared his chest at his inauguration to show that he was not wearing a bullet-proof vest, to demonstrate his trust and faith in the Egyptian people. Some of whom are now betraying him, and them.

Morsi the Muslim man, who in 2005 led demonstrations supporting independence for all judges. Some of whom are now betraying him, and them.

Morsi the Muslim man, who spent three decades in and out of jail under the Mubarak regime “due to his constantly firm stance” against its repressive measures and oppressive practices. The remnants of which continue to betray their people.

Morsi the Muslim man, trying to lead his country out of 30 years of corruption and an enormous public debt, by transforming the machinery of the Mubarak dictatorship into “an executive branch that represents the people’s true will and implements their public interests,” according to Islamic principles of justice, equality, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, labor, perseverance – and forgiveness.

Morsi the Muslim man, who did not seek, but was propelled to, the presidency of Egypt – by his party and by the majority of the Egyptian people. Most of whom are still behind him.

Morsi the Muslim man –  deposed and detained.

For what? For being democratically elected by the people of Egypt? What greater disincentive could there be for future presidential hopefuls… if indeed there were to be another free and fair electoral process now that Egyptian democracy has been so ignominiously usurped.

For failing to do in one year what no leader anywhere or any time has ever achieved – a complete 12 month turnaround of a decades-old corrupt and embedded system?

For dealing fairly and openly with another democratically-elected – and Islamic – political party, Hamas? The rumored charges pending against him strongly suggest this.

For opening the Rafah border to his brothers and sisters in the besieged Gaza Strip to enable a breath of life to enter, and the foul stench of Zionist oppression to escape and turn the stomach of the world? The quick closure of the Rafah crossing, and the barely-restrained glee of the Israeli administration, equally strongly suggest this.

Morsi the Muslim man stands guilty of two things – being elected president of Egypt, and being principled.

The first was not by his choice.

The second is what it is to be a Muslim, and a man.

How should he plead?

Guilty, with honor.

– Julie Webb-Pullman is a New Zealand activist and writer currently based in Gaza. She has written on social and political justice issues for New Zealand Independent News website SCOOP since 2003, as well as for websites in Australia, Canada, the US, and Latin America, and participated in several human rights observation missions. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.