Cairo - Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leader Mahdi Akef has reiterated that his groups would not recognize Israel, in remarks contradicting a reported statement by another MB official, the pan- Arab al-Hayat newspaper reported Thursday. In interview remarks to the newspaper, Akef said that "the movement members do not and will not recognize (the existence of) Israel ... There is nothing in our dictionary called Israel."
He dismissed Israel as being nothing but "Zionist gangs that occupied an Arab land after it had kicked out its residents."
He added that if Israelis wished to live among Arabs, that should be "inside the Palestinian frame," and if they wanted "a state", they would face "resistance."
Akef's comments came in response to an al-Hayat question about the possibility of MB recognition of Israel after MB political bureau chief Essam el-Erien had earlier said that "if the movement reigned Egypt, it would recognize Israel and respect all (signed) treaties."
However, el-Erien said the Camp David Accords - the 1979 treaty establishing ties between Egypt and Israel - would be revised and modified.
The legally banned Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamist group with a large network across Egypt. Eighty-eight members of Egypt's lower house of parliament are loyal to this group.
