Senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood officials said on Tuesday that they did not intend to revoke Egypt's three-decade-old peace treaty with Israel, and one official even told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that he would have no problem meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shaking his hand. But they did suggest that the treaty, and Israeli violations of it, could be reviewed. The statements came a day before Egyptians marked the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the historic uprising that ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his government. Egypt's ruling Supreme Military Council declared Wednesday a national holiday, and council head Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi announced an end to the emergency regulations imposed on the country by Mubarak 30 years ago. Celebratory events were scheduled to take place in Egypt throughout Wednesday, including at Tahrir Square, the site of some of the largest demonstrations against Mubarak during the uprising. A ceremony marking the day was also slated to be held in the Egyptian parliamentary building in Cairo. Meanwhile, fresh on the heels of their large victory in Egypt's parliamentary elections, Muslim Brotherhood party leaders began issuing messages intended to reassure the West. In interviews with Arab media, senior party members including candidates for Egypt's next prime minister and president said, "The Muslim Brotherhood has no intention of revising Egypt's peace treaty with Israel, but this does not mean that we will not ask to have the treaty reviewed by the relevant bodies." A senior party member who sees himself as a possible candidate for the Egyptian presidency told Al-Hayat on Tuesday, "I have no problem meeting Netanyahu or any other Israeli official and shaking their hands. But Israelis should understand that we will not remain silent concerning violations of the treaty which Israel has committed throughout the years, and we will eventually request a review of the treaty." The statements were toned down from earlier remarks by brotherhood leaders. Dr. Rashad Bayumi, the party's second in command, told Al-Hayat on Jan. 1 that the Muslim Brotherhood would never recognize Israel and would work actively to amend the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. "A kind of atmosphere has arisen here in which anyone whom the people choose to lead Egypt must recognize the existence of Israel -- but the Muslim Brotherhood will never recognize a hostile entity, whatever the terms of Egyptian rule may be," Bayumi said. No Muslim Brotherhood members will engage in any contact or normalization with Israel." On the Israel-Egypt peace treaty, Bayumi said, "At this stage, we respect all international agreements, but [the peace treaty] is not an agreement to which we are committed, and in the future the Egyptian people will demand that a decision be made over it. For the time being, we've decided that we will take the legal steps necessary to introduce changes into the peace agreement which was signed with the Zionist enemy."
X
שיתוף כתבה
'Egypt-Israel peace treaty to remain as is, at least for now'
In message of reassurance to the West, Muslim Brotherhood leaders say they have no intention of revoking peace treaty with Israel, although they will review it • Egypt celebrates one year since beginning of historic revolution which ousted Hosni Mubarak.