http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/8474312/Over-half-of-Egyptians-want-to-end-peace-treaty-with-Israel.html

 

Egyptian leader Sadat raises a toast with U.S. President Carter and IsraeliPrime Minister Menachem Begin, March 26, 1979

Photo by: News Agencies

 

Egypt

Over half of Egyptians want to end peace treaty with Israel

More than half of Egyptians want to end the peace treaty with Israel, according to an opinion poll, which will worsen the West's fears about a shift towards conservative Islamic politics in the country.

Egyptian riot police stand guard outside a courthouse in Cairo during the trial of Egyptian ex-interior minister Habib al-Adli Photo: AFP

By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent 4:44PM BST 26 Apr 2011

 

The survey, the fullest to be conducted on any of the Middle East countries that have undergone uprisings in the "Arab Spring", found 54 per cent of Egyptianswanted to end the treaty, signed in 1979, compared to 36 per cent who wanted to keep it.

The survey also found a high degree of support for Islamic law and for a prominent role for the Muslim Brotherhood, which was banned before the February revolution.

But at the same time most would vote for secular parties if an election were held today, with a Brotherhood-led government winning the support of only 17 per cent of the vote, lower than most recent estimates.

Two liberal parties, the New Wafd, which has roots in the colonial era, and al-Ghad, whose leader was jailed by the former president, Hosni Mubarak, each won similar or higher support.

The Muslim Brotherhood was seen as one of the big winners from the democratic uprising which toppled Mr Mubarak. Islamists were appointed to a constitutional committee to plan the next steps for Egypt's fledgling democracy.

Meanwhile, the military council temporarily in charge has moved to improve relations with Iran, broken off altogether after the Islamic revolution there in 1979.

Thirty per cent of those asked said they agreed with the views of Islamic fundamentalists, with a similar number opposing them. Most people – 62 per cent – thought Egyptian laws should "strictly follow the Koran" and 27 per cent that it should follow Islamic principles and values.

That may reflect the success with which the military council has deflected blame for years of corruption and repression on to the police and civilian political figures.

The hated former interior minister, Habib al-Adli, went on trial on Tuesday accused over his role in ordering police to open fire on demonstrators in the uprising. According to official figures, 846 people were killed in the unrest.