Israeli Defense Minister praises Egypt's ban on the Muslim Brotherhood

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz sparked a political uproar after praising Egypt’s decision to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, while simultaneously warning against any attempt to incorporate Arab parties into the Israeli government.

The Israeli newspaper “Zman” reported that Defense Minister Israel Katz cautioned against efforts to bring entities linked to the Muslim Brotherhood into Israel’s coalition and government, stressing that such a move would have serious repercussions for state security.

The Hebrew-language paper added that Katz noted in his statement that Egypt had completed the process of banning the Muslim Brotherhood, emphasizing that the group operates in coordination with Hamas and the Brotherhood’s parent organization in Turkey to bolster a revolution against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

It pointed out that Khaled Ayyad, head of Hamas’s external intelligence apparatus, promotes and funds the organization’s activities in this regard, in collaboration with elements within the Iranian regime, noting that the United States and many Arab countries welcomed Egypt’s decision.

In the same vein, Israel’s Channel 14 reported that the Defense Minister leveled sharp criticism at political entities in Israel that, in his description, continue to advocate for incorporating what he termed Hamas’s “sister movement” into the government, even after the events of October 7.

The Hebrew-language channel added that Katz claimed Mansour Abbas, head of this movement, refuses to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization and is aligned with an ideology seeking to transform Israel into an Islamic caliphate.

It noted that Katz continued his warnings, asserting that those willing to overthrow the president of the largest and most powerful Arab state in the name of a radical Islamic ideology would not hesitate to slaughter the Jewish state if given the opportunity, calling at the end of his statement for the formulation of a broad national consensus against cooperation with Islamic and nationalist Arab parties.

These remarks come amid escalating political tensions within Israel over the composition of the future government and the possibility of alliances with the Joint List or Ra’am Party.