Hate speech shall not impact ties

What do the new Egypt rulers want — by singling out the UAE as the reason for their failure to rise up to the challenges of the post-January 25 Revolution facing the largest Arab country?

The constant attacks on the UAE by senior leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the ruling party in Egypt, are inexplicable. But they will not change the Emirati attitude towards Egypt and its people. Relations between the two countries have always been solid, irrespective of who is in charge in Cairo. The UAE has always been quick to come to the aid of Egypt whenever needed. And that is not a favour. It is the duty of the UAE, its leaders and its people to stand by Egypt at all times.

History will always remember the position the late Shaikh Zayed took during the October 1973 war. His famous declaration, “the Arab blood is more precious than oil”, is enshrined in the Egyptian and Arab psyche. The founder of the UAE decided to cut oil supplies to those countries that were aiding Israel in its war against Egypt and Syria. No Muslim Brotherhood mouthpiece can wipe that out of the collective Egyptian memory. And no Muslim Brotherhood can ever strain the naturally durable ties between the two peoples.

If the Brotherhood thinks it can intimidate the UAE into abandoning the case of those affiliated with the movement and allegedly planned to destabilise this country, they basically know nothing about the UAE. The case is before the legal system and shall remain there until a verdict is issued. That is a sovereign issue. Period.

We urge the Brotherhood leaders to go back and glance at the recent news archive. The UAE has stood by the Egyptian people from day one following the fall of the previous regime. Its leaders’ statements are very clear. And the Brotherhood leaders of course know that. The Mohammad Mursi government must stop this vitriolic talk against the UAE. Mursi, the Brotherhood and those who are pushing them to antagonise the UAE should also know that the UAE will never give up on its brotherly relations with the Egyptian people.