Muslim Brotherhood Reacts Defensively As Israel Takes On Hamas

By Victor Comras

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are already engaging in something akin to “damage control” as they rationalize Hamas' breach of the ceasefire with Israel, and condemn Israel, Egypt and the West for Israel’s incursion into Gaza. The Brotherhood is also trying to tell its members and followers that Israel’s defeat of Hamas in Gaza, and the possible re-establishment of Fatah control in that Palestinian territory, is a reversible set-back, and that it will provide the Muslim Brotherhood a golden opportunity to strengthen their movement in Egypt, the Middle East, Europe, and around the Muslim world. The Brotherhood is already busy turning these events into a major recruitment tool, and for proselytizing and broadening its support base. They have targeted Egypt and other moderate Arab leadership as well as the Israelis. But, it is also clear that they were caught short by Europe's reaction to the conflict and to the degree of understanding and sympathy expressed by European leaders with regard to Israel’s actions. This represents a real setback for them.

Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader, Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi publicly and loudly castigated Egyptian and Arab leaders last Friday (January 2nd) for their lack of support. Like Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, he called for a popular uprising throughout the Middle East against Israel. "Supporting the Palestinian people in Gaza,” he said, “is a religious duty on every Muslim individual according to his capabilities, and no one is exempted from that duty." At the same time Muslim Brotherhood General Guide Muhammad Mahdi 'Akef, called on Muslims everywhere to wage Jihad against Israel in support of Hamas. He charged also that Israel's operation in Gaza was planned and coordinated with Fatah’s leadership and with Egypt and the United States. While demonstrators filled the streets of several Arab capitals, the response from Arab countries to Israel's actions will likely remain modestly muted.

European Muslim Brotherhood leaders, who continues to portray the Brotherhood there as a moderate and peaceful Islamic organization, shied away from calls for violent Jihad against Israel. Nevertheless, they strongly criticized European leaders for their placid responses, and actively organized a number of protests across Europe. Israel would not have hit Gaza like this without western complicity, complained Hamdi Hassan, a Muslim Brotherhood member of the Egyptian parliament.

The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), the umbrella group representing the European Muslim Brotherhood, issued a statement December 28th calling on the European Union “to take action to control the Israeli military machine which is continuing its bloody massacres…. (and) for the ending of all the assistance and privileges granted to invading Israel.” The Union of Islamic Organizations of France (UOIF), a Muslim Brotherhood group, condemned France and Europe’s failure to react strongly "to the bloody massacre just committed by the Israeli occupation army against the people of Gaza.” The British Muslim Initiative, another Brotherhood group, condemned “the shameless silence of Western and Arab Governments towards the continued violations and crimes committed by Israel.” Ahmed Al-Rawi, MAB President and former FIOE President, went further insisting on action by the International Criminal Court and referring to Israeli leaders as “Zionist war criminals.” None of these Muslim Brotherhood statements made any mention of the Hamas rocket attacks against Israel that precipitated the Israeli response, nor the refusal of Hamas to renew the six month truce with Israel when it expired on December 19th. (see "Global Muslim Brotherhood Reaction to Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza" Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report)

Despite the rhetoric, Muslim Brotherhood leaders are evidently quite concerned that Hamas overplayed its hand in Gaza, and by the muted responses of Arab governments that appear perfectly willing to allow Hamas to be ejected from its position of control in Gaza. They were also caught offguard by European government and popular sympathy for Israel's reaction - a rare occurrence these days. A curious editorial by noted Palestinian journalist Khalid Amayreh, just posted on the Muslim Brotherhood’s website sums up some of these concerns, and goes on to state that Israel’s attack against Hamas in Gaza may yet be a blessing in disguise for the Muslim Brotherhood. After hyperbolically comparing Israel's attack to Nazi atrocities and the WWII Allied bombing of Dresden, he writes: “the contemplated elimination of the Hamas government by Israel would eventually be proven to be one of the stupidest Israeli misdeeds ever. First of all, it would free the resistance group from the burden of government and allow it anew to carry out more ferocious attacks against Israel without having to worry about the bombing by Israel of buildings and security headquarters and hospitals.” He maintains that Hamas never really wanted to be in the government anyway. It had desired only to be in a position of influence in Palestinian affairs, he says. So, he writes “the disappearance of the Hamas government in Gaza would be a blessing in disguise for Hamas.”

Whatever the case, Muslim Brotherhood leaders are already actively working the street in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East and Europe, to make hay out of the Israeli attack, and the 'so-called' lack of action by "Western corrupted" Arab leaders, to respond. This, they hope, will serve to swell their ranks and their coffers.

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