Israel: ‘MB will steer Egypt toward Iran’

Via FLC

Posted on April 3, 2012 |

US ambassador Ann Peterson visits Muslim Brotherhood HQ

Washington’s ambassador in Cairo, Ann Peterson, has warned the military junta of Muslim Brotherhood’s (MB) warming-up relation with Tehran. The warning came after the military junta pardoned MB deputy secretary-general Kheyrat al-Shater who has announced to contest country’s upcoming presidential election as MB’s FJP candidate.

Commenting on the new development, Hillel Frisch, a senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Research Center of Israel’s Bar llan University, said: “In fact, I think the Muslim Brotherhood is interested in a partnership with the military“.

To make things even worse for USrael – the latest Gallup Poll results show that majority of Egyptian want closer relations with Turkey and Iran – and not with the US and Israel.

An overwhelming majority of Egyptians (82%) support replacing US economic aid with funds from Iran or Turkey, said the poll results. In 2010, Egypt received $1.7 billion total USAID including $1.3 billion military aid - as compared to $6 billion USAID to Israel including $3 billion military aid.

Egyptian hatred toward US government has reached to its peak since the arrest of several members of pro-Israel NGOs in December 2011 for underminding the civilian protests calling for the end of military rule and early democratic elections. As result of US blackmailing, last month the military junta dropped the charges against the six US workers and lifted the travel ban against them – a move which has angered people and parties from across the political spectrum.

The latest poll shows 56% Egyptians see their country’s closer relations with the US, being against Egypt’s national interests. Contrary to that, Egyptians see their country’s relations with Turkey (60%) and Iran (41%) – good for the interests of Egyptian nation.

However, several Israel lobby think tanks believe that Turkey is loosing its Sunni edge over Iran in the Middle East due to Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal clashes with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and Iraqi prime minister al-Maliki – who has blamed Erdogan for stirring-up Shia-Sunni sectarian clashes in Iraq to create a rift between Iraq-Iran close relations. Erdogan has angered several leaders in Iran and Russia due to Turkey’s support for US-sponsored regime change in Damascus. Last week, Erdogan was warned, indirectly, during a meeting in Mashhad by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatullah Khamenei that Iran will defend Syria.

Good relations with Iran and Russia are very important for Turkey’s energy needs. Turkey imports 70% of its energy needs from these two neighboring countries.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!