Even as protesters hold a “day of rage” against the Syrian government, the so-called resistance bloc of nations and Islamist movements, led by Syria and Iran, is applauding the protests in Egypt for weakening regional adversaries, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. "[The unrest] proved that the global arrogance's era of domination and control of the region has come to an end," said Iran’s foreign minister. At the very least, the countries see an opportunity to expand their operations and influence in the power vacuum created by the unrest. Hamas is also looking on hopefully, as Egypt closely cooperated with Israel in its economic siege of the Gaza strip. "We like what's happening," a senior Hamas official said. The success of Syria's opposition movement to President Bashar al-Assad will be a key indicator as to whether the protests sweeping the Middle East will threaten or help the resistance bloc.
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