Monday, February 20, 2012

Anti-Semitism in the Arab world maintained by the regimes


Anti-Semitism in the Arab world maintained by the regimes

Student in Middle East studies: Nationalist governments have created the image of a ghostly Jewish identity that haunts their countries. But in reality they do not care a damn about the Palestinians' fate.

Wiji Bohme Shomary, a student reading history and Middle Eastern and North African Studies in Sweden, is originally from Syria. In this candid and brave article for Newsmill, she dares to suggest that antisemitism is a state tool to distract from Arab failure.Rough translation by Google.

In my grandmother's childhood memory, there is always a beautiful and kind Jewess, why is she not in my memories?When she grew up in old Damascus lived several Jewish families in the neighborhood, and both she and other girls were asked to do small favors when it was the Sabbath. The cookies, which she got for it she never forgets. When I wonder what happened to these families and insists on knowing why they disappeared, and where they went, mimes she told me not to talk so loud that the walls have ears in Damascus. My questions remain unanswered.

I had the chance to move to Sweden and all the knowledge I had about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism was overwhelming at first. I knew nothing about the Holocaust while growing up in Syria for the taught it in schools and all the talk about Jewish affairs in any other way than to express disgust or hatred is strictly against it. However, I understood immediately why Hitler is admired there and why he is called at the "heroic" name, Abu-Ali!

Many of my Arab neighbors are equally ignorant of the Holocaust, and when they find out more about it, seeing the disaster, usually as a legitimate punishment for the Jews. "Look what they do in Palestine," they say, and "tooth for tooth and eye for an eye" culture in chronological order, of course, less important.

The Arabs are allowed to be anti-Semites because they have suffered because of Israel's policy is an attitude that often occurring in the Western world, turning a blind eye to the phenomenon simply.

In Syria, considered Jews to be the cause misery, water and electricity shortages, poverty, disease, economic stagnation, immoraliskt behavior.Israel is blamed for everything and some states in the region are happy of course with the situation. Arab nationalist governments have helped to create the image of a ghostly Jewish identity that haunts their country and destroy everything that they claim they are trying to build. Most of the residents, particularly young people, have themselves never met a jew person but may create a mental image based on the state descriptions.

Every time a grievance regarding the quality of life is growing among the people zoom into the Palestinian question in and suddenly addressed the media's total attention on the example of Israel's settlement policy.

The Palestinian question is used by neighboring countries, and in the sentimental Middle East is a safe bet to be played if necessary, for example, Hezbollah and the Syrian government to win support among the people.
These States and the so called resistance organizations, cares not really give a damn about the Palestinians 'fate, and when you consider how badly the Palestinians are received and treated in Arab countries clarifies these countries' positions and you soon realize the hycklerier which it is based.  

Antisemitism in the Arab world is really a big problem, both for the region's democratic development and peace process that could result in an independent Palestinian state. In the Middle East, they argue that there are Jews who hate without Israel. But being anti-Israel is often just a politically correct way to express anti-Semitism.
Jew hatred has always existed in the region and the Holy Qur'an tells of feuds that arose between Muslims and Jews under Islam's early years, David's yellow stars has its origin in the Abbasid Baghdad's golden era.The long coexistence that arose between Muslims, Christians and Jews in al-Andalus is a constructed myth, the pragmatic Muslim elites who ruled in southern Spain was forced to be tolerant because they represented a minority in the beginning. There was, however, periods of peaceful coexistence, but when the unrest and discontent arose in the community was dhimmifolket the first to be persecuted and discriminated against.

Dhimmifolket, Christians and Jews who lived in a Muslim society. They were protected by the state / Caliphate against the taxes they paid, they were allowed to practice their religion in peace and had to live by their own religious laws as long as they respected the Muslim community.

This status was abolished in the Middle East and the Ottoman Caliphate cases and the introduction of nationalist ideologies. The religious minorities are welcomed nationalism and saw in it his chance to equal opportunities in society because religious identity is of lesser importance. The Arab countries liberated from Ottoman rule and to be a Muslim, Jew or Christian soon was associated with an archaic mentality. Nationalism became even more important for the people of the colonial grip on the region, they identified themselves now that Iraqis, Syrians, Egyptians, etc., and they fought side by side to achieve autonomy.

While exports of Western antisemitism, based on rasideologier to the Middle East. The Jews in the Arab world was suspected soon to collaborate and conspire with Jews around the world to take over. There are historical records that show Hitler in the beginning helped Jews flee to Palestine at the same time he warned, and incited the Muslim leaders there against them. 

Haj Amin al-Husseini played a leading role in spreading the Nazi anti-Semitism in the Arab world. The allegations against the Arab world Jewry increased when Israel declared its independence in 1948, but it was the Arabs' defeat in the Six Day War which gave a boost to Jewish persecution and discrimination. The ancient Jewish minority in Syria, Iraq and Egypt were forced in some way to escape. Belonging to the same religion as the enemy was considered by the Ba'athists and Nasser revisionists as a sufficient reason to chase the Jews.  

Arab world's cultural heritage was hard hit by the Jews' exodus. Their contributions and efforts were of great importance in the musical, literary, artistic and linguistic domains.

The peoples of the Middle East has now dared demand their freedom and many will pay for it with their lives. Unfortunately, the dictatorship's grip on the Arab countries is much weaker than its spirit. If we take Syria as an example, the people, for example, take years - if the Assad regime falls - to free themselves from the hateful ideology of the Baath, which was forced upon them.

Despite the fact that Islam just as Christianity can be (mis) interpreted and (mis) used to incite against the Jews, I believe that anti-Semitism in the Arab world today are dictated from above and maintained by the state apparatus. The development of democracy in the Arab world would only benefit the region's cultural and ethnic multiplicity.
Can I dare to wonder if the Arab world have their Jews back eventually?One question that may sound naive to those who anticipate a long-term fundamentalist Islamist rule in the region.

I'm hopeful .... 

http://www.newsmill.se/node/43114

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