Hamas moving to align with Muslim Brotherhood

Hamas’s decision to refrain from participating in rocket attacks during the recent clashes in the Gaza Strip, together with its public statements (though later contradicted) that it would not intervene on behalf of Iran in the event of a war between Iran and Israel, has led some commentators to talk about Iran becoming more moderate.

However, as Courcy’s Intelligence Brief points out, “In fact what has happened is that in response to the triumph in Egypt of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Hamas is tacking back towards its own Muslim Brotherhood roots, not out of moderation but because MB-controlled Egypt can provide the Palestinians with much more significant long-term support than distant—and much mistrusted in the Arab world—Iran” (March 14).

But it is unlikely Hamas will have to choose between Iran and Egypt for support. As the Muslim Brotherhood gains control in Egypt, Egypt is itself aligning more closely with Iran.

Courcy’s sources in Jerusalem say the Israeli government is looking on Hamas’s move to return to its MB roots as a dangerous rather than a moderating trend. With the ascendancy of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt is becoming increasingly hostile toward the West, and it appears U.S. aid will only restrain it for so long. On March 9, for example, Egyptian Foreign Minister Muhammad Kamel Amr said that U.S. aid to Egypt was not “eternal” and that it “distorts the nature of bilateral relations” between the two countries.

Hamas moving closer to Egypt will certainly not diminish the threat it poses to Israel.