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Overtures to Muslim Brotherhood Reverse Longtime Policy -David D. Kirkpatrick
With the Muslim Brotherhood pulling within reach of an outright majority in Egypt's new parliament, the Obama administration has begun to reverse decades of mistrust and hostility toward an organization once viewed as irreconcilably opposed to U.S. interests. The reversal also reflects the administration's growing acceptance of the Brotherhood's repeated assurances that its lawmakers want to build a modern democracy that will respect individual freedoms, free markets and international commitments, including Egypt's treaty with Israel.
At the same time it underscores Washington's increasing frustration with Egypt's military rulers, who have sought to carve out permanent political powers for themselves and used deadly force against protesters seeking an end to their rule. (New York Times)
Israel Questions U.S. Stance on Muslim Brotherhood - Shlomo Cesana
The U.S. needs to face up to the threat presented by the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East, Israel's National Security Council concluded during a strategic discussion several days ago.
The council, responsible for providing the prime minister with strategic assessments, said it was concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood's pronouncements, repeated this week, that call the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty into question. The Brotherhood's second-in-command, Dr. Rashad Bayumi, said that the Muslim Brotherhood, which is set to dominate Egypt's new parliament, will never recognize Israel and will even work to amend the Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
In its assessment, the council, headed by Major General Yaakov Amidror, concluded that Israel needed to accept the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood would eventually assume power in most Arab countries, with Egypt first and foremost. The council believes that the Muslim Brotherhood is not just a religious and cultural force, but also a reincarnation of the totalitarian fascist movements seen in Europe over the past century.
(Israel Hayom)
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UPDATE:
Muslim Brotherhood Will Not Honor Peace Treaty with Israel -Daniel Siryoti & Eli Leon
The deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Essam Arian, told Al-Hayat Saturday in an interview: "We never promised that we would honor the peace treaty with Israel. The treaty is not sacred and we can and should make changes in it."
His remarks denied those made by U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland that the Islamist group made guarantees to the U.S. that it would continue to respect Egypt's peace treaty with Israel.
(Israel Hayom)
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3 comments:
The NY Times piece seemed balanced and contrary to the title of this post. The Israeli view seems more polarized but then they have more to fear in the immediate future. Time will tell whether Israel is prescient or misguided. Obama has little to do with this though. Having an American stance against the tide as it is going in Egypt and elsewhere would merely weaken America's position and would certainly not help Israel. Should Israel be screaming about"crazy Santorum and Paul" who have done well in Iowa and if they should form a government they will surely cut off aid and defense for Israel"? Is that in Israel's interest? Or if they believed these guys were going to win a Presidential election they might actually start to reach out to them and make the case why aid and military assistance to Israel is in America's interest. The world works much less black and white and hostility towards a new government that is not even finished forming is not in anyone's best interest. We do not get to pick foreign governments---when we did, such as years ago in Iran---we are still paying for the mistrust that created.
I should note that actually Israel would not have any problem with Santorum. He is the kind of Republican that they seem to like, he talks very supportive of Israel, though his stance on Iraq and the MidEast is the same failed policy that destabilized the region and empowered Iran.
Yes, my title was meant to be more strident than the NYTimes, who would never directly dis the pres on a foreign policy issue.
But i beg to differ with your idea that Obama's stance has no influence. His rather public embrace of The Muslim Brotherhood sends a very bad message to real Muslim moderates...in fact, it undermines them. This smells of appeasement.
The NYTimes was right to point out the radical shift in policy from all prior administrations [both Dem & Repub].
Please note that [i believe] President Obama represents a minority opinion in the Dem party on this matter. Unfortunately, he's in charge.
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