July 5, 2012
Dear Friend of Israel,
History was recently made in Egypt, one of the oldest nations in the world. For the first time, average Egyptian citizens were able to vote their next leader into power. On its face, it was a triumph for democracy and individual liberty, values that are in short supply in the troubled Middle East — except, of course, in Israel.
This should be an occasion to celebrate. Instead, it's a cause for grave concern for all who seek and pray for peace in the Middle East. That's because the result of Egypt's first free election created another first — the country's first Islamist president, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi. It wasn't a landslide victory by any means. Morsi only won with 51.7 percent of the vote. But it was enough to put an extremist regime in power.
Morsi's election means that the eyes of the world are on the Muslim Brotherhood. Some have argued that it is a "largely secular" group, dedicated to seeking justice for impoverished and disempowered Egyptians. Others, acknowledging the extreme nature of some of the Brotherhood's views, claim that the group's rise to political power will force the group to moderate its positions.
But these optimistic views seem based less in facts than they are in wishful thinking. The Brotherhood's Islamist foundation is plainly revealed in its slogan: "Islam is the solution." In his first official address as president, Morsi announced that he will "stand with the Palestinian people until they regain all their rights." During his candidacy, he said that if he was elected he would require Christians living in Egypt to convert to Islam, pay a special tax, or leave the country. He has even hinted that the 9/11 terror attacks were an inside job.
Independent journalist Michael Totten, one of the most well-informed observers of the Middle East working today, may well be correct in writing, as he did recently, "I see no possibility whatsoever of a happy outcome in this country. Egypt is by far the most Islamist place I've ever seen. That volcano can only stay plugged for so long."
Even as we pray for a good outcome for Egypt and her people, we Jews and Christians who love Israel and the U.S. for the values of freedom, liberty, and democracy that they embody must watch events in Egypt with caution and skepticism. As Morsi assumes his new role, let us pray for wisdom for world leaders — and particularly for the leaders of Israel and the U.S. — as they seek true peace for the rapidly changing Middle East.
Dear Friend of Israel,
History was recently made in Egypt, one of the oldest nations in the world. For the first time, average Egyptian citizens were able to vote their next leader into power. On its face, it was a triumph for democracy and individual liberty, values that are in short supply in the troubled Middle East — except, of course, in Israel.
This should be an occasion to celebrate. Instead, it's a cause for grave concern for all who seek and pray for peace in the Middle East. That's because the result of Egypt's first free election created another first — the country's first Islamist president, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi. It wasn't a landslide victory by any means. Morsi only won with 51.7 percent of the vote. But it was enough to put an extremist regime in power.
Morsi's election means that the eyes of the world are on the Muslim Brotherhood. Some have argued that it is a "largely secular" group, dedicated to seeking justice for impoverished and disempowered Egyptians. Others, acknowledging the extreme nature of some of the Brotherhood's views, claim that the group's rise to political power will force the group to moderate its positions.
But these optimistic views seem based less in facts than they are in wishful thinking. The Brotherhood's Islamist foundation is plainly revealed in its slogan: "Islam is the solution." In his first official address as president, Morsi announced that he will "stand with the Palestinian people until they regain all their rights." During his candidacy, he said that if he was elected he would require Christians living in Egypt to convert to Islam, pay a special tax, or leave the country. He has even hinted that the 9/11 terror attacks were an inside job.
Independent journalist Michael Totten, one of the most well-informed observers of the Middle East working today, may well be correct in writing, as he did recently, "I see no possibility whatsoever of a happy outcome in this country. Egypt is by far the most Islamist place I've ever seen. That volcano can only stay plugged for so long."
Even as we pray for a good outcome for Egypt and her people, we Jews and Christians who love Israel and the U.S. for the values of freedom, liberty, and democracy that they embody must watch events in Egypt with caution and skepticism. As Morsi assumes his new role, let us pray for wisdom for world leaders — and particularly for the leaders of Israel and the U.S. — as they seek true peace for the rapidly changing Middle East.
With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President
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