Saudi Arabia 'pushing for political reconciliation in Egypt'

An assistant professor of political sociology at King Saud University in Riyadh has claimed that Saudi Arabia is pushing the Egyptian government towards political reconciliation with the opposition. According to Dr Khalid Al-Dakhil, this includes reconciliation with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

“The security strategy applied by the Egyptians with the opposition in general and the Muslim Brotherhood in particular will not solve the country’s problems,” he told Quds Press.

Saudi Arabia’s position on the Muslim Brotherhood has changed in recent months and the kingdom sees no need to clash with the movement. However, Al-Dakhil pointed out that this does not mean that the government in Riyadh is entering into an alliance with the Brotherhood against the Egyptian regime.

“The Gulf kingdom cannot tolerate seeing Egypt collapse in the way of both Iraq and Syria,” he explained. “Saudi Arabia thus has two strategic goals for Egypt: first to stabilise the country and second to achieve reconciliation between the regime and the opposition.”