Egypt�s Muslim Brotherhood to Vie in September Election

Bridges For Peace (Link) - The Media Line (May 1, 2011)

The Muslim Brotherhood has announced it will create a political party to vie in Egypt�s September parliamentary elections. The party, which will call itself the Freedom and Justice party, will officially be independent from the Brotherhood, but �will coordinate with it� according to a spokesman for the group. The distinction appears to be nothing more than a legal technicality. Since the downfall of Hosni Mubarak became inevitable, observers have wondered openly whether the new political situation in Egypt would open the door to Islamist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was among the first to voice concern, warning that Israel�s relationship with the post-Mubarak regime is unlikely to be as productive as relations were with the Mubarak government, even though that relationship became synonymous with the term �cold peace.�

Last week, Egypt�s army chief-of-staff warned Israel not to interfere with plans to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip�a move Israel sees as undermining security. The Israelis are also concerned about multiple overtures to Hamas extended by the new Egyptian regime.

Under Mubarak, the Brotherhood was officially banned, but it was able to run candidates as individuals who were known to represent it. The official state newspaper reported on Saturday [April 30] that Hosni Mubarak will be tried for corruption and complicity to murder. The latter charge stems from accusations that he ordered troops to fire on protestors in the demonstrations that ultimate brought about his downfall. The charge carries the death penalty. �