‘There has been no revolution in Egypt yet’

Violent clashes on the streets of Egypt are a symptom of a wider power struggle that is taking place between the military and the Islamist-led parliament, Yaakov Lappin, a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, told RT.

­“I think the military is very frightened of the prospect of an Egypt that would be led by Islamist political parties,” Lappin said. “They are worried about security. They are worried about the economy, what this could do to tourism.”

Lappin believes that Egypt’s military rulers are also very reluctant to allow change as they have been in power for many years, since the 1950s.

“I think they are very reluctant to let go of that power,” he said. “So I think it’s going to be unpredictable, violent in some cases, and it’s also going to damage Egypt’s ability to maintain law and order on its streets.”

Yaakov Lappin is wary about calling what has happened in Egypt a revolution because the elites, which are the military, are still in power in Egypt.

“I don’t think there actually has been a revolution yet,” he said. “I think that what’s happened is that the figurehead of the military regime has been deposed very dramatically. Certainly that was a hugely significant event, it was an earthquake.”

Egypt has seen major changes, and changes will continue to happen, but this is not a revolution until the military is in power according to Lappin.

“Until then I think the two sides are stuck in their current positions, fighting it out through a range of ways,” he said. “And one of these ways is street battles between the military security forces and the people.”