Egypt – A Country In Turmoil

Violence.  Death.  Mayhem.   Such are the words that describe reality in the Mubarak gone, Morsi gone land of Egypt.  After days of warning, Egypt’s military regime has gone on the offensive, attacking Islamist protestors while killing nearly 300 and wounding thousands.  The goal was to clear the tent cities established by the Muslim Brotherhood in response to the ouster of Egypt’s President Morsi.

Coptic Church on fire

The Muslim Brotherhood wasted no time in giving its response to the violence that had been turned loose upon them.  As the encampments in Nadha and Raba’a al Adiwiya Squares were being removed the Brotherhood went on the attack setting fire to Christian churches.  The Church of Abraham and the Virgin Mary in Mayo were torched.   The Muslim Brotherhood burnt to the ground the main Coptic church in the city of Sonag.  Sixteen Coptic churches have been burned.  Coptic priests and laymen have been killed.  Anti-Christian graffiti has been written on churches throughout Egypt.

Muslim Brotherhood supporter
STR/AFP/Getty Images

Chaos reigns supreme and no one can predict the outcome of these most horrifying acts.  Protests have arisen from throughout the world, including the United States.  They have fallen on deaf ears.  The Muslim Brotherhood wants President Morsi returned to office.  The military, responding to mass demonstrations, want a new regime put in place.  Fighting continues, the death toll rises and the Christian community fears for its life and its houses of worship.  There is no peace, there is no accord.  There is only the struggle of the fittest and a world waiting to see who or what will prevail.

We Jews have experienced this type of attack on our people, on our temples and synagogues.  We know the sorrow, the heartache and the fear that such attacks produce in young and old alike.  We worry about tomorrow and we wonder what that tomorrow will be.  Only time will tell.  The world waits, the Middle East waits, the land of Egypt waits — all hoping for a better tomorrow.

Rabbi Howard A. Simon
Co-chair of the Robert and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

Israel hit by another rocket in Eilat while White House officials host Muslim Brotherhood!

Yet again, and only a day before the start of the Jewish Passover holiday, the Israeli southern resort city Eilat, which is frequented by travelers from around the world was hit by another rocket fired out of the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula.

Thankfully no casualties or damage have been reported at this time, however such violence and increasing attacks have become more and more prevalent from the Sinai Peninsula since the overthrowing of Mubarak in Egypt, “turning the Sinai Peninsula into a launching ground against citizens of Israel…” said Israeli PM Netanyahu.

Even more jolting is the fact that White House officials hosted members of the Muslim Brotherhood only a few days before the attack. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said of the meeting, “We believe that it is in the interest of the United States to engage with all parties that are committed to democratic principles, especially nonviolence.”  Muslim Brotherhood = nonviolent?

Although the attacks have not been directly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, it is no secret that the Muslim Brotherhood is an enemy of the Jewish State, notorious for acts of terrorism and is rapidly gaining support and power in Egypt.  Furthermore, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, said it would nominate Khairat al-Shater, a man who has vowed to implement Shaira Law in Egypt if elected president.  Yes, you read that right … Sharia Law which denies citizens basic democratic values.

Your Federation wants to know what you think!  As Israel keeps facing intensified security threats and relations with Egypt dwindle as a result of terrorist attacks, was the meeting of White House officials with the Muslim Brotherhood an act of an ally in an attempt to thwart an enemy … or should Israel be weary of the United State’s commitment to them?