In denying that five members of the Hezbollah movement arrested in Cairo belong to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has called Hamas an “independent entity.” According to the article posted on the Egyptian Brotherhood website:
Dr. Mohamed Habib, the first Deputy Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood, denied reports and rumors published in newspapers by Senior Egyptian security officials claiming that five members of the Hezbollah movement arrested in Cairo belong to the Muslim Brotherhood. He stressed that these allegations are baseless and unsupported by facts, as the Brotherhood bears no connection to the Lebanese organization. “It is clearly visible that there are certain individuals trying to include the names of Muslim Brotherhood members in this case. The Muslim Brotherhood however, announced that it is very clear and understood that the Egyptian national security is a red line that cannot be bypassed,” Habib said. In response to President Hosni Mubarak’s remarks during his visit to Washington, where he claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood group is linked to Hezbollah and Hamas forming an international network, Habib answered that ”the Muslim Brotherhood wholeheartedly supports the popular resistance against the occupier by all means, whether through media or moral encouragement against any attacks or assaults launched on the Lebanese people. However, the Muslim Brotherhood is not connected with Hezbollah in any way. “In fact, Hamas is an independent entity blessed with wise leaders and good structures that make it work enabling them to meet the challenges,” the deputy continued. “Hamas has its own independent right first and foremost in taking its decision,” he emphasized. Habib underscored that the accusations against the movement claiming that they developed an international network lacks credibility and is intended to confuse and interfere in the Muslim Brotherhood’s internal affairs in a deliberate attempt to distort its image. He also stressed that “any Muslim in any country embracing the movement’s ideology, and objectives acts in accordance with the Constitution and the law of his own country and we do not interfere in any way in their work.” These statements were made in the context of a fierce campaign launched by Mubarak’s regime against the Muslim Brotherhood where the number of political detainees has reached more than 450.
The Hamas charter states that it is ” is one of the wings of the Muslim Brothers in Palestine” and an Israeli TV station has reported that Muslim Brotherhood “representatives” have traveled to Gaza from Egypt through the open border to meet with Hamas. An early media report indicated that shortly after Hamas took over the Gaza strip, Muslim Brotherhood representatives were present to review Hamas military formations. Last June, a Hamas journalist acknowledged the role that the “international Muslim Brotherhood” has played in providing funds for the purchase of weapons. Hamas is supported financially and politically by the global Muslim Brotherhood and a NEFA Foundation report has documented the Hamas fund-raising activities of the Union of Good, a coalition of Islamic charities linked to the Brotherhood that provides financial support to both the Hamas “social” infrastructure, as well as its terrorist activities. Previous posts have also discussed the worldwide campaign orchestrated by the global Brotherhood against Israeli actions in Gaza during the recent conflict.