Israel Matzav

Muslim Brotherhood: 'How much will you pay us not to break that treaty with Israel'

The Muslim Brotherhood has effectively demanded an annual bribe in the form of US aid by saying that it will 'review' Egypt's treaty with Israel if the United States cuts aid.

"We (Egypt) are a party (to the treaty) and we will be harmed so it is our right to review the matter," Essam el-Erian, a senior Brotherhood leader, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"The aid was one of the commitments of the parties that signed the peace agreement so if there is a breach from one side it gives the right of review to the parties," added Erian, the deputy leader of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the biggest group in the newly elected parliament.

His remarks are likely to increase pressure on all sides to resolve one of the worst crises in US-Egyptian ties since the treaty was signed. In similar comments, FJP leader Mohamed Mursi said in a statement that US talk of halting the aid was "misplaced," adding that the peace agreement "could stumble."

He said: "We want the march of peace to continue in a way that serves the interest of the Egyptian people."

The good news is that at least some of the Brotherhood's clerics understand that going to war with Israel is not a good idea.

A cleric seen as close to the Brotherhood said in an interview published on Wednesday that Egypt could not risk any military confrontation with Israel, adding that the country's main concern must be its economic problems.

"Egypt cannot enter a struggle in the military sense and leave the affairs of building on the internal front," Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian who lives in Qatar, told Shorouk newspaper. "Now the citizen cannot remain without work."

Some people may not like my saying this, but if that's what keeps the peace between us and Egypt, may their economic problems continue for many years to come. On the other hand, if they were willing to warm up the peace, I'm sure that there are things we could do to help them resolve their economic issues. After all, this is a country that made the desert bloom.

But in the meantime, it should be pointed out that Egypt can do a lot of harm without actually abrogating the treaty - for example through lax security in Sinai and by allowing Hamas to smuggle more weapons. The reality is quite complex.

It's a pity that the Egyptians still insist on regarding us as an enemy, more than 30 years after we signed a treaty and gave them back every inch of the Sinai.

Labels: Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, Muslim Brotherhood

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:19 AM