“I was wrong in photographing with Omar Sharif”

An Egyptian female journalist who was slapped by ageing Hollywood actor Omar Sharif before a large crown in Qatar last week was quoted on Wednesday as saying she made a mistake by posing for a photograph with him.

“I think I made a mistake by pushing to have a photograph with him,” Aisha Al-Douri said, quoted by Arabic language newspapers in the region.

“I am a journalist who is not after fame…when he slapped me, I tried to smile only to prevent my tears and to save my face in front of cameras.”’

Ageing Hollywood legend Omar Sharif lost his temper and slapped an Egyptian journalist who tried to push her way through many fans to be photographed with him during an international film festival in Qatar this week.

A short film run on U-Tube last week showed the 79-year-old Egyptian actor, who has starred in many Hollywood films, was gradually getting annoyed by many journalists and fans shoving their way to have shots with him at an international film festival in the Qatari capital Doha before he lost his temper and slapped Aisha before a shocked crowd.

He then placed his hands around his head and angrily said to her: “I have told you I would get to you afterwards… just put something in your brain.”

Newspapers in Egypt and other Arab countries as well as websites have launched a virulent attack on Sharif for losing control and slapping the girl.

“I am shocked at this campaign against me…they should take into consideration my age and my health condition,” Sharif was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Sharif’s most famous Hollywood films are ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Doctor Zhivago ‘and ‘Funny Girl’. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won three Golden Globe Awards.

In 2003 the actor received a one-month suspended prison sentence for hitting a police man in a Parisian casino.

Four years later he was found guilty of "assaulting a Beverly Hills parking lot attendant and breaking his nose