According to “Al Ahram,” the Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), will start a two-day deliberation on Saturday to discuss who they should support in Egypt’s first post-Mubarak presidential elections.
If all goes well, this session might override what the FJP had previously declared: that they would not announce a candidate until the window to submit applications was open (now on 10 March). However, FJP media consultant, Ahmed Subei confirmed to Al-Ahram Arabic portal that the purpose of the 48-hour discussions is to pick their candidate.
The Muslim Brotherhood has already announced it will not recognize Israel under any circumstances and might put the peace treaty with the Jewish state up to a referendum, according to an Al-Hayat interview with Rashad al-Bayoumi, the movement’s second in command last January.
The Muslim Brotherhood “did not sign the peace accords,” al-Bayoumi told the London-based newspaper. “We are allowed to ask the people or the elected parliament to express their opinion on the treaty, and (to find out) whether it compromised the people’s freedom and sovereignty.”
He stressed that under no circumstances will the Brotherhood recognize the State of Israel.
“Is rising to power conditional on recognizing Israel?” al-Bayoumi wondered. “That’s out of the question, no matter what the situation is. On no condition will we recognize Israel. It is an enemy entity, an exploiting, criminal occupier.”
In early January, 2012, “Israel Today” reported that Israel’s National Security Council determined during an emergency meeting that US President Barack Obama is “naive” when it comes to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and the dangers it poses.
The meeting was called as the Muslim Brotherhood was wrapping up its wildly successful showing in Egypt’s first democratic election since the fall of former dictator Hosni Mubarak. With the votes from the third round of voting expected to be tallied soon, the Brotherhood is predicted to control at least 40 percent of the Egyptian parliament. The even more radical al-Nour party came in second place with 25-30 percent of the vote.
After pressure from the masses for earlier presidential elections, Egypt’s current ruling military council announced at the beginning of February that the floor will open for presidential candidate applicants on March 10. They later announced that elections will be held in late May.