Bin Arsheed: Attacking IAFP Serves U.S. And Israel Agenda

Since he became leader of the Islamic Action Front Party (IAFP), less than a year ago, the relation between the party and the Jordanian regime snowballed so much, starting from Hamas’ weapons smuggling case, the issue of the society of the Islamic center and finally- and it seems that it is not the last- the case of the two MPs Mohammed Abu Fares and Ali Abu Sukkar.

Therefore, it was important for Ikhwanweb to interview Mr. Zaki Bin Arsheed, the one who has raised a great controversy since he became the Secretary-General and the head of the IAFP (Muslim Brotherhood) 

Ikhwanweb: Some mass media reported that there are disagreements inside the group, especially concerning the way of tackling the crisis of MPs, explain this?

Bin Arsheed: I ’d like to reassure you and reassure all observers that the movement is strong and united  and there are no fears or signs of sedition- God forbid- which may be a wish by some opponents and enemies; this does not mean that there is no different diligence and different viewpoints. As for the official attitude of the group and the party towards the crisis of the MPs, it is- in a nutshell- a sheer injustice from the government on the members of parliament affiliated to the Islamic Action Front; it targeted the movement before targeting the MPs, at a time when neither the movement nor the MPs committed any a crime or violation, but the pre-meditated intentions of the government against the movement are the ones that made all the crisis.
Therefore, the movement did not ask for an amnesty; this step came as an initiative from the government, with a contribution of a brother who isn’t in a leading position, against what was agreed upon in the official command.

Ikhwanweb: what is the attitude of the two MPs Mohammed Abu Fares and Ali Abu Sukkar at the center of this controversy ?

Bin Arsheed: it is the same attitude of the Islamic movement and both of them are patient expecting reward from Allah, in spite of the injustice that afflicted them in prison, in addition to the loss of their membership in the House of Representatives.

Ikhwanweb: are there any disagreements concerning the way of dealing with Hamas, given that some media classify you as a pro-Hamas while there is another team in the movement supporting separation from Hamas led by the previous secretary general, Mr. Zunaibat?

Bin Arsheed: the stance is unified among all members of the movement, according to the attitude of the Jordanian citizens and the Islamic Nation, an even all freemen of the world, that Hamas is a national liberation movement and a legitimate resistance that resists the imperial Zionist project and its ambitions in the region.

Ikhwanweb: What is the reason behind the serious escalation of the Jordanian government towards Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood group?

Bin Arsheed: it can be explained by several reasons, including an external factor in accordance with the US administration and the Zionist desire, and their feeling of the strong influence of the Islamic movement. They fear that it may sweep the next parliamentary elections in Summer of 2007, specially after Hamas landslide victory in the Palestinian elections earlier this year; therefore, the government rallied all its resources to target and blockade the movement on political, media, parliamentary, and public levels including issuing a number of laws restricting public freedoms and curbing reform topped by the Islamic movement.

Ikhwanweb: Some western media mentioned that king Abdullah II  regime is similar to the Shah’s regime prior to the Iranian revolution, would you comment on this?

Bin Arsheed: In Jordan, there is a conflict of influence between the political powers and the ruling elite; this conflict has been taking place backstage, but it is often taking place in public, between the so called old guard or Jordanian bureaucracy and the so called new liberals; add to this the conflict over economic and investment influence with the tightening and suffocating economic crisis- a high debt of about $12 Bln- and the trade deficit, in addition to poverty, unemployment, the financial and administrative corruption.

Ikhwanweb: What are the preparations of the Muslim Brotherhood for the next elections? Is there a possible coordination with other political powers and parties?

Bin Arsheed: there are reports about government’s intentions for postponing the elections for fear of a landslide victory for the Islamists, while all Jordanian political powers continuously demand changing the election law which was drafted to blockade and weaken the influence of the Islamic movement in parliament and it had bad results on all sections of the Jordanian society. Consequently, no party or political movement can start doing practical steps in preparation for the elections until the aspects of the next stage become clear, in terms of law, decisions, and coordination with the others, given that coordination with the presence of the current law is impossible matter except in a minimum; the general attitude of the movement is a multi-level coordination specially with opposition groups agreeing on with us on common national stances.

Ikhwanweb: What about the human rights status inside Jordan?

Bin Arsheed: it is deteriorating according to all reports released by Jordanian, Arab and international human rights organizations; these reports document cases of abusing the rights of citizens, especially in prisons, and the systemized torture, and laws that curb public freedoms.

Ikhwanweb: Under the current circumstances in the region and after the war of Lebanon, how do you see Jordan’s future under the current regime?

Bin Arsheed: after the Zionist aggression on Lebanon, and its inability to achieve its targets, Jordan rushed towards reviving the so called ” peace process”, and “the Arab initiative” and pressing for holding negotiations with the Zionist entity, and hosting conferences and suspicious meetings, and holding a coalition with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas and the Fatah Movement; thus, Jordan moves in the wrong direction and bets again on unsuccessful issues; it should have exploited the victory that was achieved for the Arabs in Lebanon to support resistance and revive the Arab Joint Defense Treaty and Arab boycotting to the Zionist entity.

But it still insists on its previous attitudes, given that the results and repercussions of this war were directly reflected on entities and regimes working in favor of their peoples like America and the Zionist entity.