Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says it will never recognise the state of Israel and will put Cairo-Tel Aviv Peace Treaty to the test of public opinion once a new government takes office in the North African country. The group’s second-in-command, Rashad al-Bayoumi, said in an interview with the London-based Al-Hayat Arabic daily that no member of the Muslim Brotherhood will ever negotiate with an Israeli. “This is not possible, no matter what the circumstances are. We do not recognise Israel at all. It is a criminal enemy occupier… I will never allow myself to sit down with a criminal,” Bayoumi said, noting that Israel is illegally occupying the Palestinian land.
He said that the Muslim Brotherhood respects all international agreements signed by Egypt during the current “interim” period but it has the right to reconsider a treaty signed without the consent of the Egyptian people. Bayoumi went on to say that once a new government is in place, the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty would be re-evaluated in a national referendum.