Editing Muslim Brotherhood (section)

===Mubarak era===
During the Mubarak era, observers both defended and criticized the Brotherhood. It was the largest opposition group in Egypt, calling for "Islamic reform", and a democratic system in Egypt. It had built a vast network of support through Islamic charities working among poor Egyptians.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=51850|title=ISocial programs bolster appeal of Muslim Brotherhood|agency=IRIN|access-date=27 August 2010}}</ref> According to ex-[[Knesset]] member and author [[Uri Avnery]] the Brotherhood was religious but pragmatic, "deeply embedded in Egyptian history, more Arab and more Egyptian than fundamentalist". It formed "an old established party which has earned much respect with its steadfastness in the face of recurrent persecution, torture, mass arrests and occasional executions. Its leaders are untainted by the prevalent corruption, and admired for their commitment to social work".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1340361675|title=Our Muslim Brothers|publisher=Gush Shalom|date=June 2012|access-date=15 October 2021|archive-date=23 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023195233/http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1340361675|url-status=live}}</ref> It also developed a significant movement online.<ref name="arabmediasociety.com">{{cite web|author=Courtney C. Radsch|url=http://www.arabmediasociety.com/?article=692|title=Arab Media & Society|publisher=Arab media society|access-date=11 November 2012|author-link=Courtney C. Radsch|archive-date=23 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123090402/http://www.arabmediasociety.com/?article=692|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/mar/05/brotherhoodoftheblog|location=London|work=The Guardian|first=Marc|last=Lynch|title=Brotherhood of the blog|date=5 March 2007|access-date=12 December 2016|archive-date=15 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415063915/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/mar/05/brotherhoodoftheblog|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2005 Egyptian parliamentary election|2005 parliamentary elections]], the Brotherhood became "in effect, the first opposition party of Egypt's modern era". Despite electoral irregularities, including the arrest of hundreds of Brotherhood members, and having to run its candidates as independents (the organization being technically illegal), the Brotherhood won 88 seats (20% of the total) compared to 14 seats for the legal opposition.<ref name="nytimes2007" />

During its term in parliament, the Brotherhood "posed a democratic political challenge to the regime, not a theological one", according to one ''[[The New York Times]]'' journalist,<ref name="nytimes2007">{{cite news|title=Islamic Democrats|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/magazine/29Brotherhood.t.html|last=Traub|first=James|date=29 April 2007|work=The New York Times|access-date=6 September 2011|archive-date=29 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129114139/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/magazine/29Brotherhood.t.html|url-status=live}}</ref> while another report praised it for attempting to transform "the Egyptian parliament into a real legislative body", that represented citizens and kept the government "accountable".<ref name="nytimes2007"/><ref name="merip2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.merip.org/mer/mer240/shehata_stacher.html |title=The Brotherhood Goes to Parliament |access-date=7 June 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001175005/http://www.merip.org/mer/mer240/shehata_stacher.html |archive-date=1 October 2006}} Samer Shehata from [[Georgetown University]] and Joshua Stacher from the [[British University in Egypt]] ''Middle East Report''. Fall 2006. 29 November 2009</ref>

But fears remained about its commitment to democracy, equal rights, and freedom of expression and belief—or lack thereof.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fawzi|first=Sameh|date=8 December 2005|url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/772/op8.htm|title=Brothers and Others|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120161038/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/772/op8.htm |archive-date=20 January 2012|publisher=Al Ahram Weekly|access-date=6 September 2011}}</ref> In December 2006, a campus demonstration by Brotherhood students in uniforms, demonstrating martial arts drills, betrayed to some such as Jameel Theyabi, "the group's intent to plan for the creation of militia structures, and a return by the group to the era of 'secret cells'".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.daralhayat.com/opinion/OPED/12-2006/Article-20061218-95ae9eb8-c0a8-10ed-00b1-7119b3684228/story.htm|title=The Brotherhood's Power display|publisher=Dar Al-Hayat|date=18 December 2006|access-date=25 April 2007|archive-date=9 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409032247/http://english.daralhayat.com/opinion/OPED/12-2006/Article-20061218-95ae9eb8-c0a8-10ed-00b1-7119b3684228/story.htm|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Another report highlighted the Muslim Brotherhood's efforts in Parliament to combat what one member called the "current US-led war against Islamic culture and identity," forcing the Minister of Culture at the time, [[Farouk Hosny]], to ban the publication of three novels on the ground they promoted blasphemy and unacceptable sexual practices.<ref>{{cite book|title=Inside Egypt: The Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution|last=Bradley|first=John R.|publisher=Palgrave MacMillan|year=2008|page=62}}</ref> In October 2007, the Muslim Brotherhood issued a detailed political platform. Among other things, it called for a board of Muslim clerics to oversee the government, and limiting the office of the presidency to Muslim men. In the "Issues and Problems" chapter of the platform, it declared that a woman was not suited to be president because the office's religious and military duties "conflict with her nature, social and other humanitarian roles". While proclaiming "equality between men and women in terms of their human dignity", the document warned against "burdening women with duties against their nature or role in the family".<ref>{{cite book|title=Inside Egypt: The Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution|last=Bradley|first=John R.|publisher=Palgrave MacMillan|year=2008|page=65}}</ref>

Internally, some leaders in the Brotherhood disagreed on whether to adhere to Egypt's 32-year peace treaty with Israel. A deputy leader declared the Brotherhood would seek dissolution of the treaty,<ref>{{cite news|title=Muslim Brotherhood seeks end to Israel treaty|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/3/muslim-brotherhood-seeks-end-to-israel-treaty|work=[[The Washington Times]]|access-date=7 February 2011|archive-date=8 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208125910/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/3/muslim-brotherhood-seeks-end-to-israel-treaty/|url-status=live}}</ref> while a Brotherhood spokesman stated the Brotherhood would respect the treaty as long as "Israel shows real progress on improving the lot of the Palestinians".<ref>{{cite news|title=Live Blog: Egypt in Crisis, Day 8 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/live-blog-egypt-in-crisis-day-8/ |work=[[CBS News]] |date=1 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215734/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20030175-503543.html |archive-date=4 October 2013}}</ref>