ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center
SOURCE:
02February2011 2:05pmEST
GCIS/MSS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: For the first time, a U.S. government supports granting a 
government role to an extremist Islamic organization: the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
On Monday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Egypt's new government will have to include a "whole host of important non-secular actors." Most prominent among these is clearly the Muslim Brotherhood – which has made Islamic world domination one of its ultimate goals. It also opposes Egypt's 30-year-old peace treaty with Israel.
Gibbs said the Muslim Brotherhood must reject violence and recognize democratic goals for the U.S. to be comfortable with it assuming a role in the new government. This caveat does not significantly alter the new American approach, which is very different than that of the previous Administration, in which George W. Bush pushed Mubarak for democratic reforms but never publicly accepted a role for Islamists. (read full report)
In a separate report:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that if democracy prevails in Egypt then it will not pose a threat to peace with Israel.
"All those who value freedom are inspired by the calls for democratic reforms in Egypt," Netanyahu said during a speech to the Knesset. "An Egypt that will adopt these reforms will be a source of hope for the world. As much as the foundations for democracy are stronger, the foundations for peace are stronger."
The prime minister said that there is a risk that instability in Egypt could last for years, and called for "bolstering Israel's might" in response to the turmoil. (read full report)
