Morsi's Victory and Egypt's Second Republic

(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Jacques Neriah - The Muslim Brotherhood are shrewd pragmatists and fully aware that Egypt has enough domestic problems of its own. Their main effort will be directed at rehabilitating the country's devastated economy. Hamas in Gaza - an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood - has high hopes, but it will soon be disappointed. However, another full-scale Israeli military action against Hamas in Gaza is not likely to remain unanswered by the Egyptian regime. For now, Egypt needs to reestablish security in the Sinai Peninsula and throughout the country, where Islamist groups have set up cells aiming to topple the government. That Egypt will evolve into something resembling today's Turkey is hardly guaranteed. To do so, the Brotherhood must give up its longtime dream of imposing shari'a and instead strike a moderate course. Protecting the rights of women and religious minorities in the new state will require a constant struggle. Col. (ret.) Dr. Jacques Neriah was formerly foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and deputy head for assessment of Israeli Military Intelligence.


2012-07-10 00:00:00

Full Article

BACK

Visit the Daily Alert Archive