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| | | | | | | |  | | There have been two great experiments with democracy in the Arab world in recent years, and both have ended with a huge poke in the eye for democracy" | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ataturk's Turkey presented a secular model for full separation between church and state, but the model was rejected by both Israel and the Arab world because of the strong connection between religion and personal status issues in the region" | | | | | | | |
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Keep religion in the heart
Region must separate mosque and state while retaining respect for religion
Egypt and the Arab world are (once again) in shock: In democratic elections for the Egyptian parliament, the Muslim Brotherhood party
captured about 20 percent of the parliament, closer to 30 percent if we count the independent candidates who lean towards Islamist positions.
And it would be correct to say the Islamists "only" won 20 percent of the parliament, because the Muslim Brotherhood didn't even field candidates in all constituencies. In areas where they did compete, Islamist candidates won no less than 65 percent of the vote.
Of course, these votes came at the expense of President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party.
Two experiments
There have been two great experiments with democracy in the Arab world in recent years, and both have ended with a huge poke in the eye for democracy.
In Algeria's 1992 election, the Front to Save Islam won no less than 82 percent of the vote. Had the Algerian army failed to intervene immediately, Algeria would have quickly become a Sharia (Islamic law) state.
The second was this year's American attempt to impose democracy on Iraq. That, too, hasn't turned out so hot, with Islamic and ethnic parties returning to the battlefield, and civil war raging out of control throughout the country.
So how is the Arab world supposed to deal with this dilemma? On the one hand they are supposed to embrace democracy, but on the other, as soon as democratic elections are held, Islamist parties are likely to seize power democratically and subsequently cancel democracy.
Does anyone believe that Hamas won't win next month's election for the Palestinian parliament (if they are even held), and emerge as the leading power in the Palestinian Authority – the same PA created to fight Hamas?
And what about Syria, where the Muslim Brotherhood is raising its head in anticipation of the possible fall of dictator Bashar Assad? How do we deal with a party that says openly that "true democracy must eventually lead to non-democracy"?
Secular model
Ataturk's Turkey presented a secular model for full separation between church and state, but the model was rejected by both Israel and the Arab world because of the strong connection between religion and personal status issues in the region.
But separating mosque and state could bring about the required results: If, in the context of an international regional convention, religious parties were forbidden from participating in political elections – the problem would be solved.
Such a convention would give legitimacy to the entire process, and allow Arab countries to look freely to a non-threatening democratic future without striking a blow to their religion or imposing secularism on the Arab world.
This sort of convention could show the Arab world that religion is honorable and desirable – in the hearts and prayers of men.
Religion is a positive phenomenon in prayer houses – not in houses of parliament.
Guy Bechor is a columnist for Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth
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