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The Saudi-Brotherhood divide

Saudi Arabia’s designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization has mystified many Saudis and complicated the kingdom’s regional policies.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal gestures during a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Kamel Amr (not pictured) in Riyadh January 5, 2013.  REUTERS/Stringer (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3C4DR
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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Few Saudi decisions have provoked as much mystification as the recent one designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, a move described by some Saudis in recent interviews as “weird,” “emotional” and “stupid.”

On March 7, the Interior Ministry statement formally overturned a partnership of more than half a century that despite some rocky periods had benefited both the Saudi government and the Islamist movement.

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