Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- Against the backdrop of the “Hezbollah in Egypt” case, and Hassan Nasrallah’s acknowledgement of Hezbollah’s connection to it, the Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mahdi Akef, has called for support of the resistance “by any means necessary.” Hussein Ibrahim, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc again called for the opening of the Rafah Crossing “along with the protection of the sovereignty of the Egyptian state” adding that “Our enemy and Hezbollah’s enemy are the same.” Regarding the Egyptian media’s coverage of the “Hezbollah in Egypt” case Akef said that “there is no need for media incitement, the judiciary are looking at the case, there is no need for media incitement to portray the case in this manner…Hassan Nasrallah’s words said that there was nothing between him and Egypt, and there was no connection between him and Egypt, and there was no connection between him and the Egyptian people.”

In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Akef spoke about the existence of two [opposing] axes when dealing with regional issues, on the one hand there is “the call for cooperative resistance” and on the other hand the “protection of the state’s sovereignty.” Akef said “I say that governments offer no hope, the hope is in the people that must remain vigilant in order to fulfill their duty towards their brothers in Palestine, and to support them as much as they can, to lift the siege and end the suffering of our brothers, to stand beside them and fulfill their rightful cause. I have no connection to governments because governments offer no hope. I have asked the rulers to unite their ranks…and put forward a special agenda to serve their countries.”

Concerning the obligation of protecting the sovereignty of states, and impeding the movement of individuals, groups or organizations across countries borders, especially with regards to Egypt’s obligation to prevent smuggling into Gaza, Akef said “I am well aware of all of these analysis, and each reaches the conclusion that it wants…I have the Palestinian cause, we should all be working together for it – governments and individuals- to stand against this Zionist tyranny that nobody can stop. Look at what they did in Jerusalem; look at what they did in the West Bank…and what they did in Gaza. We must stand beside our brothers…the Mujahedeen.”

In response to a question that this call [for resistance against Israel] stands in the face of the sovereignty of states and their border, Akef replied “I am not talking about the borders, and not about the states. I have nothing to do with any of this, I do not interfere in these matters, I do not interfere at all in the affairs of state…I have a cause, and I call for all leaders and citizens to stand beside their Palestinian brothers.”

On the double standards that some governments and groups in the region are dealing with, such as Hezbollah, the Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood said “There are two agendas [in the region]…an agenda working to protect and support the resistance against the Zionist enemy, and an agenda that only cares about satisfying the Americans and the Zionists.”

Hussein Ibrahim, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc that accounts for 20 percent of Egyptian parliamentary seats said that the Muslim Brotherhood “do not see any contradiction in supporting the resistance and protecting the state’s sovereignty. We are in support of the resistance, in Gaza, and Palestine, and Lebanon, and therefore we demand what we have continually been demanding, the opening of the Rafah crossing…along with respecting Egyptian sovereignty.”

Ibrahim added “I support the resistance, but at the same time I want the protection of [Egyptian] sovereignty. As an Egyptian, I do not want nor will I accept anyone violating Egyptian sovereignty. All that we hope for with regards to this case is that it is dealt with rationally; I imagine that our enemy and Hezbollah’s enemy are the same. The accused are being investigated by the Attorney General, and all that we call for is that their legal rights are protected.”

With regards to Nasrallah acknowledging the group [of alleged Hezbollah members in Egypt] Ibrahim said “Our position was to support the resistance, even so we followed the law, and that is what I call for everybody to do. I call for everybody to maintain Egyptian law, and protect Egyptian sovereignty.”