Israeli specialist on Egypt says Mohamed ElBaradei the man to watch

BEER-SHEVA, Israel (Press Release)—  “Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak needs a miracle to survive the presidency,” according to Egypt expert, Yoram Meital, who is Chairman of the Herzog Center for Middle East Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

However, he thinks that a victory for the Muslim Brotherhood should not be seen as a foregone conclusion. “While they dominated the opposition under Mubarak’s draconian regime, a more open political system could engender a different kind of politics, he says.  “What I read is that within a very short time we will get a different political context.  In this scenario, other sectors – including the silent majority of the Egyptian people – would play a significant role.

Meital suggested that the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt could form an alliance with  Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei who has emerged as a dissident leader in his homeland.  “At this point he’s the most distinguished among the opposition,” pointing out that ElBaradei had attracted considerable attention in the international and Arab media.

“It’s also very interesting that Dr. ElBaradei initiated a dialogue, a very constructive one, with the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt about six months ago and in recent days they coordinated some of their moves,” he observes.

“I would not exclude the possibility that if elections for a new Egyptian president are held that the Brotherhood would support someone like ElBaradei instead of nominating someone from their ranks.”

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Preceding provided by American Associates of Ben Gurion University