Emmanuel Sivan / So what does the Arab and Muslim street really think?
People on the street have no reliable info, unsurprisingly their impression is based merely on gut feeling.
By Emmanuel Sivan Tags: Islam Israel news PalestiniansWhat does the Arab (or Muslim) street think? Whom does it hate and whom does it admire? These questions have reverberated among us from the days of Gamal Abdel Nasser to Hassan Nasrallah today. But who speaks on behalf of this "street"? Due to the lack of reliable public opinion polls, authoritarian rule and media outlets that are trained what to say, it's not surprising that the assessments of the man on the street are so incomprehensible and based merely on impressions and gut feelings.
It's against this barren backdrop that the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project published a survey last week that was carried out in the Muslim countries. The Washington-based center invested a great deal of effort in its survey on Islamic issues - its second one ever. It included Arab countries and populations in Egypt, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and the Arabs of Israel, as well as the non-Arab Muslim countries of Turkey, Nigeria, Pakistan and Indonesia.
In every country, between 1,000 and 1,200 men and women aged 18 and above were interviewed; the sample was chosen scientifically. The interviews were carried out in the interviewees' mother tongue in May and June last year. What hits the Israeli reader are the findings about the negative attitudes toward Jews. In Egypt, Lebanon and the PA, 95 to 98 percent of the respondents held negative views of this kind. We therefore have significant evidence on the extent of Arab anti-Semitism. This hostility is prevalent in non-Arab Muslim countries as well - it encompasses three-quarters of the citizens of Turkey, Pakistan and Indonesia and 60 percent of Nigerian Muslims.
But what concerned the respondents above all was the rift between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, which, as far as they were concerned, exists everywhere. That's the opinion of around 95 percent of the Muslims in Lebanon, three-quarters of the Palestinians, some 60 percent of those in Egypt and Jordan, about half of the Turks and even 42 percent of the Arabs of Israel.
In this respect, the most divided country, other than Iraq, is Lebanon. And the rift, when compared with the Pew Research Center's survey two years ago, is deepening. Hezbollah has the support of all the Shi'ites as well as 2 percent (!) of the Sunnis (while 95 percent are hostile to it). Among Christians, one-quarter support it and the rest are opposed.
Of course, this phenomenon is linked to the dramatic change in political alliances; if before the Lebanese civil war the Sunnis were hostile to the Christians and tended to favor the idea of a Greater Syria, a quarter century later they have become Lebanese patriots who are hostile to Syria, especially since the 2005 murder of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. And they are suspicious of Hezbollah, Syria's ally.
An important, if less serious, rift is also seen in Egypt. Despite the official myth about the ancient unity of the nation, half the Muslims view the Copts negatively and with suspicion. (The folk belief among Muslims in Egypt is that "the Copts have blue bones.")
Obviously the importance of public opinion in non-democratic regimes is limited. At most, it draws the boundaries of "what is reasonable" and as such exerts indirect pressure on the rulers. But as long as the issue is what the rulers consider a matter of supreme interest, public opinion to them is totally insignificant.
Thus, for example, more than half the respondents in Egypt and Jordan expressed a positive attitude toward Hamas, but this did not prevent President Hosni Mubarak from building an "iron wall" between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Neither he nor King Abdullah of Jordan agreed to cut off diplomatic ties with Israel during Operation Cast Lead. Nevertheless, such widespread hostility has unfortunate significance regarding Israel's chances of integrating into the region, at least with its close neighbors, even after a peace agreement is signed with Syria and the PA.
In conclusion, in view of the crisis in relations between Israel and Turkey, it's interesting to note that 60 percent of Turks view Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his regime negatively. This may be connected to the fact that most Turks are Sunnis. But how can we explain the finding that 70 percent of them are hostile to Hamas and only 5 percent support it? It turns out that Arab and Muslim public opinion is divided from the ethnic point of view, but united in its anti-Semitism.
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I don't know why people think that 400 year old historical disputes between Jews and Muslims matter. The issue confronting the world is not whether Arabic populations behaved poorly 400 years ago - it's what Israel is doing now. Your argument is tantamount to saying "some other people were oppressed four centuries ago, so it's okay for us to oppress them now, cause we're getting back at them." That reasoning is petty and would justify all sorts of absurd and immoral behavior. Where your religious sympathies lie has nothing to do with it. There are humans who starve to death, are illegally removed from their homes, are denied basic medical supplies, and more abuses in Gaza and Palestinian territories. That is abhorrent and a serious problem now. None of them were around 400 years ago to mistreat someone else's ancestors.
Thank you for an insiteful article. The commentaries were superb, as a result, I'm becoming more familiar regarding the differances between Semites and Hammites. When ones victimage is seen as that of the oppressor, it becomes more difficult to garner sympathy and support. Demonizing and excluding the Other only extends conflict. As seductive as racial purity may appear it conceals many traps; genetic, physiological, neurological and behavioral, to name a few.. A world without Israel would be a poorer place, indeed.
What the 'Arab' Street thinks does not matter. What the 'Muslim' Street often does. In Israel, what the 'Arab and Muslim Street' thinks does matter, though that problem will soon be dealt with by the ever more extremists right wing government of Israel. In most 'Arab' nations there is autocracy which does not give a hoot what the 'street' thinks The nation with the largest Muslim population in the world is Indonesia, is a democracy and the opinion of it's 'Street' is quite important. As are the opinions of India's Muslims. Even the third largest population of Muslims, Pakistan, is now a democracy. Neither America or Israel are viewed very well in Pakistan yet have considerable support in India. In Indonesia America is faring well because of it's treatment of that nation while Israel is not for the same reason. So what does the "Jewish Street' matter? In America it matters. In Israel only the ultra-right matters.
You say you know the one true reason that all Muslims hate all Jews. You say that I am uninformed because I pointed out another reason that some Iranians dislike anonymous Jews. You do not give any impression that you know what you are talking about. It sounds like you are suffering from some sort of psycholinguistic failure. Do you in general believe that everything that happens has a single true cause uninfluenced by anything else? Or is it just this one time?
Muslims believe in the Quran. The Quran says that the Jews ARE a nation. The Quran says that Allah gave the Holy Land to the Jews. Yezmar, if you don't accept those Quranic statements, then you are a kaffir, not a Muslim. Deal with it.
It would be good to know the statistics before baruch goldstein went crazed and the settlements proliferated . In any case islam is not antijewish if the jews keep third class citizenship and the most able and attractive convert to islam.Nevertheless islam in the years 1933-1945 blocked the escape of jews from nazi occupied europe and the jews must steel thenmselves with this reality
And now for a study of the Jewish street...
First you say "we are all the same..." then you say, "you are nothing but a bunch of Arabs." You're argument is makes no sense.
Jews did not always live peacefully in Arab countries before the state of Israel was formed. They lived under sever restrictions.
James you must know that that's nonsense.
This article is quite biased and cherry picking the report. The report also shows that: 56% of the Arabs in Israel think favorable of Jews (and 73% favorable of Christians). 49% of the Israeli Jews think unfavorable of Christians. (and 6% of jews!) The report did not investigate what people think about "muslims". This I could not find: "An important, if less serious, rift is also seen in Egypt. Despite the official myth about the ancient unity of the nation, half the Muslims view the Copts negatively and with suspicion. (The folk belief among Muslims in Egypt is that "the Copts have blue bones."
You can always count on some people to regurgitate the old party line. I was brainwashed to believe this nonsense too as a girl, but like many of us, I grew up and learned to think for myself.
"Q11g Please tell me if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of: g. Jews" see:http://pewglobal.org/reports/pdf/268.pdf
My argument stands, you can twist the words all you want but face it...we are all the same. You are not some people that fell from the sky. We all share a genetic background and for all intents and purposes..you are nothing but a bunch of arabs also. As far as I'm concerned...there is no such thing as a jewish people, there might be a jewish culture, but there is no such race as the jewish people. Face it..you are nothing but a bunch of arabs also..genetics don't lie.
For the questions, answers and summary: http://pewglobal.org/reports/pdf/268.pdf 6% of the Jews think negative about Jews ... 49% of the Israeli Jews but only 20% of Israeli Arabs think negative about Christians. 56% of Arabs in Israel proper are positive about Jews! They did not ask what Jews think about Muslims. The report does not mention copts! The report also shows that Muslim believe education for boys and girls is equally important.
if the same questions were to be ask in Israel you would get the same responses. Many Hate anyone that is Muslim and on top of that you have conflicts internally as we do ( you haven't started to kill one another as yet) Plus that is a unfair representation and generalisation about everyone who is a non-Jewish Semite. I for one stand up and defend you when everyone else wants your blood and Im Australian/Lebanese (agnostic). You do how ever have allot to answer for (government). So everyone relax! allot of us still have no ill feelings towards you all. So please for the LOVE of ABRAHAM lets not get carried away with this simpleton survey.
Poor treatment of Jews by Muslims predates the state of Israel by many centuries. You can even find evidence of this in 400-year letters from Iranian Jews, on display at the NY Metropolitan museum. Your superficial and un-informed opinion would have been funny if it didn't have the effect of inciting hatred against Israel, and indirectly, the Jews. Then again, it is also possible that you are motivated by hatred rather than ignorance - you wouldn't be the first ones.
To have a negative view of Israel does not make you an anti-semite. This is why religion and the state must remain separate. Thomas Jefferson said to the effect that a wall must be built between the two or it will lead, as history has shown us, to bloody disaster.
I'm afraid Peter hit the nail on the head. The Zionist movement into Palestine is the source of all the anti-Jewish problems. The Zionist claim to eternal ownership of Palestine because it was the homeland of pre-Diaspora Jews 2000 years ago, is ridiculous. It's as if the English were to lay claim to Denmark and northwest Germany because their ancestors once lived there (as a matter of fact, such an English claim would be more valid than the Zionist one because the Anglo-Saxon exodus was more recent (only 1500 years ago). But ancient legends always trump reason. Tanach says that Palestine was given by God to Abraham's descendents, so therefore it's true. No point in talking about it. Zionism and its Western support have created the Middle Eastern mess that we all struggle with today, and I can see no way to fix it except to stand back and let the two sides fight until one is exterminated. Like the two cats of Kilkenny.
Several cousins of mine lived inEgypt before Israel was created. They were not treated well, and they lived under severe restrictions. Jews are not allowed to practice their religion in Saudi Arabia and are barred from Mecca and Medina, the latter a Jewish city until Mohammed slaughtered its inhabitants. So pray tell me where you get the idea Jews and Arabs lived in peace in the Middle East. Have you not heard of the pogroms in Hevron in 1920s? You have been reading too much of the "Palestinian" narrativwe and swallowing it hook, line and sinker.
Arabs trace their ancestry to Abraham through Ishmael, the son of Hagar an Egyptian. Egyptians are descended from Ham, not Shem, two of the sons of Noah. In addition, Ishmael was married to two Egyptian women -- again Hamites. That the languages are semitic results from Arabs copying the tongue spoken by Abraham, not their mothers. But they are Hamites, not Semites.
Please refrain from using the stupid literal anti-semitic argument. Look it up in the dictionary to know what it means. Your attempt to discredit the article by citing a petty word as to what your interpretation would be incorrect is an example of the weak arguments espoused by your type of apologist.
so we can decide for ourselves if the polls reflect anti-semitism or not.
Prior to israel, Jews lived in every Arab country in peace and prosperity. The creation of Israel changed everything.Palestinian refugees started to flood the neighbouring countries as a result arab jews started paying the price.Arabs started being suspicous of them as being a fifth column.To this day, Jews live in Yemen,Syria, Lebanon and a lot still live in Morocco.
"how can arabs be anti-semites if they are themselves semites". absolutely stupid comment. the term "anti-semitism" was coined in europe to describe hatred against jews (not generally semites). what can you do about that? sometimes historic terms are not correct, yet they are in use. it does NOT change at all the real issue here, which is blind hatred of muslims against jews. call it anti-semitism, anti-judaism, anti-zionism or just racism. it will not change the facts of the article. FACE IT.
So relax and just try to be persistent and self-consistent.
Arabs are semites, but so are Jews. And if Arabs hate an entire ethnic section of semites, it is still anti-semitic. Furthermore, the origin of the word was used for Jews. Historically anti-semitic was a term applied to Jews, not Arabs, in the English and similar European languages. So the use has always focused on Jews. Words are used in two main ways: 1. their literal definition, and 2. their historical meaning. Most of the time the historical meaning is more important than their literal meaning. You are attempting to discredit a word (and article no less!) because it partially applies to the Arab group, however this is pointless nonsense as the historical reference, and the direct reference relates to Jews. Hence the use of the word is not only accurate but it's completely apt from an historical perspective (the development of the term). I hope you have gained new insight on the English language here. Feel free to get a beginners guide to how languages are formed.
Anti-Semites are people that hate Jews. Would you prefer the term "Jew-hater"? There is no such thing as a "Semitic" people or race scientifically speaking - there are only languages that are classified as Semitic, such as Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, etc. The term "Anti-Semite" was actually created by a European Anti-Semite (sorry, a "Jew-hater") to try and make a scientific sounding word for Jew-hatred. You're argument is retarded.
100% in agreement with you.
unintentionally uninformed. The hatred of Jews comes from the Koran. How can you people not know this? When I see such lack of knowledge of rudimentary Islam, I scratch my head! #1 seems to be genuinely uniformed, #4 is pushing his political agenda. The fact is Muslims negative views of Jews are straight from the Koran. Just read the Koran and find out the truth!
The negative view of Jews is directly related to the behavior of Israel. Leaders like Netanyahu inextricably link Israel to the Jewish people...so its not surprising to see such a high proportion of Muslim countries with negative views of Jews. It is only "anti-semitism" to the extent that people like you have attributed any criticism of Israel to anti-semitism.
when they are semites?..what a stupid article.
.....what.... were the questions?
An Iranian friend told me about a village that cut gemstones. They had a yearly auction for uncut stones. One year a rich man showed up and bought all the stone. Then he hired the people at low wages to cut his stones for him. A local religious figure asked him to relent and quoted the Koran about being merciful. The man gave an evil laugh. "But I am a Jew!" I can imagine that all over the middle east, when anonymous people have the chance to do evil, they say they are Jews. It would cut down on argument. And each time people think worse of Jews. I don't see anything that can be done about this.