Washington – White House Reassuring Jewish Leaders about Turmoil in Egypt

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    Effigies of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak can be seen hanging from traffic lights, as Egyptian anti-government protesters gathered in Tahrir (Liberation) Square, watch U.S. President Barack Obama, not seen,  live on a TV broadcast from Washington, speaking about the situation in Egypt, early Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011.  Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced  he will not run for a new term in September elections but rejected protesters' demands he step down immediately and leave the country, vowing to die on Egypt's soil, after a dramatic day in which a quarter-million Egyptians staged their biggest protest yet calling on him to go. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)Washington – The White House is seeking to reassure Jewish leaders concerned about the turmoil in Egypt, telling them in a conference call that US policy is not to deal with the Muslim Brotherhood.

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    Many in the pro-Israel community have been concerned that the waning position of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his regime will empower the Muslim Brotherhood and are fearful that the US could contribute to its rise by viewing the Islamic group as a legitimate Egyptian political player.

    On Monday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that “it is clear that increasing democratic representation has to include a whole host of important non-secular actors,” and since then US officials have given varying signs on their openness to seeing the Muslim Brotherhood take part in a coalition government.

    At the same time, the US has increased its calls for Mubarak to oversee a transition immediately, and for the installment of a widely representative democratic governance system.

    On a call to Jewish organizational officials, senior Middle East National Security Council adviser Dan Shapiro said US policy is not to deal with the Muslim Brotherhood, which has ties to Hamas, a US-designated terrorist organization, according to participants in the off-therecord call.

    But Shapiro also indicated that the US would not dictate the composition of the next Egyptian government.

    Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel and now the vice president of the Brookings Institution, pointed out that America’s options for dealing with the Muslim Brotherhood are limited given its strong role in the Egyptian political scene, and that its participation in a new government in some capacity might be inevitable.

    “It’s a very risky proposition, but that’s the world that we now live in, in which the Muslim Brotherhood is a powerful [institution], and it will be extremely difficult to exclude it from the political process,” he said.

    Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center, who joined Indyk in a discussion on the Egyptian turmoil Thursday, said that while the Muslim Brotherhood would pose challenges to the US given its stance on the peace process, counter-terrorism, minority rights and other issues, right now the group is planning to have a low political profile.

    “Up until now the Brotherhood has played a very limited role. They have not been very visible in the protests, but that’s by design,” he said. “The Brotherhood is well aware that if they have a prominent role, this will stoke the fears of the international community and particularly the US, so the Brotherhood is sensitive about that.”

    The group does plan to become more active but is emphasizing that it doesn’t plan to take a leadership role and will instead support a coalition led by Mohamed ElBaradei, the former UN International Atomic Energy Agency head, according to Hamid.

    Some members of the Brotherhood have been so concerned about a backlash that they have made a statement to “allay some fears,” saying they would abide by the peace treaty with Israel, Hamid added. He noted, however, that many question the sincerity of such statements.

    “I think we have to recognize that they aren’t extremists like in Iran or elsewhere. In terms of what their objectives are here, they aren’t going to try to win an election even if they could,” he said, suggesting that the group instead would focus on rebuilding the organization after years of repression. “They are aware this would either provoke the regime or provoke the international community.”


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    12 Comments
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    13 years ago

    How much can they rely on Obama’s reassurance? As much as Egypt could rely. America showed zero backbone in this crisis. Basically telling Mubarak to step down and the Brotherhood are going to form an alliance. Wow, thanks for the reassurance.

    volfie
    volfie
    13 years ago

    the current occupant of the “white-house” sold out Mubarak , in the same fashion as carter did to the Shah of Iran.Look at Iran today a rogue and pariah state intent on challenging the world and destroying Israel.Once the chayas take over Egypt the
    consequences will be worse.

    Berl
    Berl
    13 years ago

    By doing this Obama publicly admits that he was involved in this. Just like his evil buddy Carter Yimach Shmo wo was involved in overthrowing the Shah.
    May Hashem intervene and arrange for Obama to be overthrown Bkorov

    kollelfaker
    kollelfaker
    13 years ago

    be a ware of friends bearing gifts can anyone trust people that don’t know what is happening or are not saying

    13 years ago

    The CIA probably started this whole uprising in Egypt so the zzzus could briing democracy to the Middle East.

    13 years ago

    Sounds like the germans telling the Yidden not to worry, you are just going in to take a shower.

    Yaakov2
    Yaakov2
    13 years ago

    Obama and all US Presidents can’t trusted as far as you can throw them. They care only about themselves and their own political interest at the expense of all Yidden.

    The will “Kiss the Backside” of whoever becomes the major power player no matter how Anti Semitic that new leadership may be because the US cares first an foremost that the whichever Soney Yisroel becomes the leader and whoever gains power, should give Kovod to the US political interests regardless of it being at the expense of Israel.

    The Bottom line is that Obama’s words are full of hot air, just to pacify and have all Yidden go back to sleep, under the false pretense that “big daddy” Uncle Sam will take care of your concerns.

    The entire Obama, is one big fat lie, who cares only about himself and could care less about any Yidden, ever.