Israeli media is reporting that what was described as a “leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood” has told an Iranian news network that he would like to see the Egyptian people “prepare for war” with Israel and that the Suez Canal should be closed in order to pressure the Mubarak regime. According to a report in the Jerusalem Post:
A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt told the Arabic-language Iranian news network Al-Alam on Monday that he would like to see the Egyptian people prepare for war against Israel, according to the Hebrew-language business newspaper Calcalist.
Muhammad Ghannem reportedly told Al- Alam that the Suez Canal should be closed immediately, and that the flow of gas from Egypt to Israel should cease “in order to bring about the downfall of the Mubarak regime.” He added that “the people should be prepared for war against Israel,” saying the world should understand that “the Egyptian people are prepared for anything to get rid of this regime.”
Ghannem praised Egyptian soldiers deployed by President Hosni Mubarak to Egyptian cities, saying they “would not kill their brothers.” He added that Washington was forced to abandon plans to help Mubarak stay in power after “seeing millions head for the streets.”
MEMRI translated a November 2010 excerpt from an Iranian TV interview with a Mohammed Ghanem, identified as a representative of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK, in which Mr. Ghanem criticizes the Egyptian ruling government. According to the MEMRI translation:
Following is an excerpt from an interview with Mohammed Ghanem, representative of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK, which aired on Press TV (Iran) on November 15, 2010:
Mohammad Ghanem: “To understand the political system in Egypt, you must recognize that the regime in Egypt is a dictatorship. Parliamentary elections are a show, and I would see no difference… The outcome of the elections… Mr. Mubarak has been there 30 years. He holds 85% of the power of the regime, and the 15% within the Authority [Assembly] of the People are appointed by him.”
Moderator: “He is the president, of course. Presidents wield power. This would be his sixth term. He has submitted himself to elections, so is it a dictatorship?”
Mohammad Ghanem: “It’s a dictatorship regime because he holds all the power. It is only a one-man show. Now, he has developed even that system to be a family and a business. It is a dynasty, and the whole economy of the country is run according to the interests of Mr. Mubarak, his family, and his loyals.”
Moderator: “So what is the impact of that – if that is indeed true – for the average, ordinary Egyptian? What does this mean life is like for them?”
Mohammad Ghanem: “Poverty, ignorance, illness, no services. The people felt denial. They felt that they have been neglected, because there is one percent – maximum between one and two percent – who own the country, who run the economy, and run the interests for their own.” […]
The identification of Mr. Ghanem as a Muslim Brotherhood representative is supported by UK corporate records which list a Mohamed Ghanem as a director of World Media Services, known to have been affiliated with the Al-Markaz al-I’lami lil-Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Information Centre of the Muslim Brotherhood), London. Al-Da’awa, a Muslim Brotherhood magazine formerly edited by UK-based Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Kamal Helbawy, was published by World Media Services, which is known to have shared premises with the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), one of the UK Muslim Brotherhood organizations.