The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is facing criticism after journalists uncovered a post on the group’s official website that counsels families to tell daughters “wash your courtyards and don’t be like the Jews and the Christians.”
The story is bound to deepen concerns over Muslim Brotherhood anti-Semitism. It comes a week after a Muslim Brotherhood leader blamed Jews for the Boston marathon terror attack and a few months after the emergence of a 2010 video of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, in which he called on Egyptians to “nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred” for Jews.
It is also bound to add to concerns over anti-Christian sentiments and activities. Egypt has been rocked by a series of deadly sectarian riots that have seen Egyptian Copts killed and Christian holy places attacked. Christians have been fleeing Egypt en masse.
The situation has triggered bipartisan concern in Washington. Legislation is being moved through Congress to promote religious freedom in the Middle East, and the administration has emphasized that it is “paying attention to the plight of Christians in the region.”