An MP from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party denied on Tuesday a news report that the party intends to meet with Israeli lawmakers.
Egyptian lawmaker Abdel Mawgoud Rageh denied Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth's Monday report that a Brotherhood delegation would convene with Knesset members in Washington. The paper said representatives would seek mutual understanding in anticipation of a Brotherhood election victory that would bring Mohamed Morsy to power.
The newspaper predicted the meeting would be held next week on Thursday after Egypt's presidential runoff on Saturday and Sunday.
Rageh, speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, described the report as “false and unrealistic.” He, however, noted that he would travel to Washington in October to lecture about the Egyptian revolution.
Meanwhile, Knesset member Moussa Diab told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the planned meeting was cancelled after Yedioth Ahronoth published the names of the Israeli lawmakers expected to take part.
Since the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak last year, Brotherhood leaders occasionally said they would put the unpopular 1979 peace treaty with Israel to a public referendum.
Egypt's largest political organization, along with its alliance, dominates Parliament and is fielding one of two remaining contenders in the race for president. Morsy is competing against former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who served under the Mubarak administration that maintained good relations with Israel.
In December, the same Israeli newspaper quoted US Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman as saying that the US had been conducting a constructive dialogue with the Brotherhood about respecting the peace treaty. The Brotherhood denied the report at the time.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
