Situation in Egypt may result in a "new Mubarak"

Israeli newspapers have highlighted the state of chaos in Egypt after the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi last week and noted that the situation is likely to remain this way for some time. They added that the situation might result in a “new Mubarak” who is less corrupt than former president Hosni Mubarak.

In its coverage of the developments and demonstrations in the Egyptian capital, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper spoke of a “civil war” and “blood, fire, and columns of smoke”. It noted in its editorial that it prefers the current chaos to the domination of the Muslim Brotherhood. The paper described the Morsi government as “a tyrannical regime of a fascist Islamist movement”.

According to Chelo Rosenberg writing in Maariv, without foreign aid the state of chaos will loom over Egypt for a long time. He said that he does not expect such foreign intervention and, as such, Egypt’s future will be a bit of a “lottery”. Nevertheless, he did admit that no leader, never mind Morsi, could have solved Egypt’s “horrible” economic and social problems in just one year, so is pessimistic about any new government having more success.

Reuven Barko of Yisrael Hayom, meanwhile, wrote that the real showdown for Egypt has not started yet; what has happened is just the preparation for more dangerous events to follow. He noted that the Muslim Brotherhood’s counter revolution is gaining momentum in Egypt’s squares. The writer added that the movement’s leaders were shocked by the military coup and this shock has turned into widespread anger.

Writing in the same newspaper, Boaz Bismuth argued that the Egyptian revolution of January 2011 is still at its peak. The roles of Mubarak and Morsi have ended, he said, and the military will be the main actor till the play’s end, even after a new president takes centre stage.