The Muslim Brotherhood, the terrorist-affiliated party leading in Egypt’s elections, will never recognize Israel, its deputy leader, Dr. Rashad Bayoumi, said in an interview published by the London-based al-Hayat newspaper January 1.

Recognizing Israel, he said, “is not an option, whatever the circumstances; we do not recognize Israel at all. It’s an occupying criminal enemy.” He later elaborated, calling it “an enemy entity, an exploiting, criminal occupier.”

He said the Muslim Brotherhood would not negotiate with Israel. “I will not allow myself to sit down with criminals,” he said.

He also said: “The Brotherhood respects international conventions, but we will take legal action against the peace treaty with the Zionist entity.”

He indicated it would hold a referendum on the treaty once a new government was in place. “This is an agreement that was formulated and signed far from the eyes of the people and the parliament, so we must return this agreement to the people and let them have their say about whether this agreement hurts Egyptian interests and sovereignty,” he said.

The extremist Muslim Brotherhood and the even more extremist Al-Nour party have received around 70 percent of the vote so far in Egypt’s elections. That indicates supporters of the peace treaty with Israel would lose in a referendum.

Egypt is rapidly descending into Islamic extremism. Expect an Islamic nation allied with Iran to emerge once the dust from the “Arab Spring” has settled.