Ex-Brotherhood leaders hail Shoukry’s stance against MB

CAIRO – 26 May 2018: Amid frequent calls to accomplish reconciliation with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry confirmed that there is no single chance of reconciling with the MB group.

“President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi repeatedly reaffirms that Egypt belongs to all Egyptians, so long as they abide by the law,” Shoukry said in remarks given to state television on Friday.

The Brotherhood was outlawed in Egypt after the ouster of MB-affiliated President Mohamed Morsi. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates followed Egypt’s footsteps and also banned the group.

Recently, MB leaders have proposed initiatives to reconcile with the Egyptian authorities, but they were met with failure.

Leading MB figure Ibrahim Mounir called for negotiations with the Egyptian authorities on condition that the government releases Brotherhood prisoners, most notably Morsi.

In response, Egypt’s Grand Mufti Shawki Allam issued a statement condemning the MB. “These terrorist groups must be eradicated,” Allam noted to Asharq Awsaat newspaper on Saturday.

Former MB leader Ibrahim Rabee told Egypt Today that Shoukry’s statements pull out any hope for possible reconciliation with the group.

“Shoukry’s statement, which asserted there will never be reconciliation with the MB, is like killing the group’s hope for being rebuilt one day,” Rabee said.

“Egyptians sentenced the MB to death on June 30, 2013 [in reference to the Egyptians’ revolution against the group and ouster of Mohamed Morsi],” Rabee added.

Rabee asserted that the MB must accept Egyptians’ desires and aspirations if the Brotherhood members seek to live peacefully in Egypt. “The group’s domestic cells must be dismantled and hand over their distribution map to the concerned authorities,” he said.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs preserves the country’s political and diplomatic security,” said former MB leader Tarek al-Beshbeshy.

He pointed out that Shoukry’s statements seemed firm, in addition to statements given by Shoukry on Qatar and Turkey, stating, “These two countries waged an uncovered campaign against Egypt by embracing terrorists.”