Arab anti-Semitism isn’t confined to the fringes of society. Whereas in Israel, overt bigotry is scolded, ignored, or kept out of politics, mainstream Arab culture promotes extreme anti-Semitic ideas through schools, newspapers, television, popular culture, and official ideology.
Bernard Lewis’ classic book Semites and Anti-Semites provides insight into how this condition came to be. As he notes, anti-Semitism in Arab countries (and non-Arab Islamic states such as Iran) has risen as Jew-hating in the areas formerly known as Christendom has plummeted. For example, whatever one thinks of the extent of anti-Semitism still extant within the Catholic Church, most Westerners consider the 1964 decision by the Second Vatican Council to repudiate claims that Jews killed Christ to be a mark of progress, to say the least. In Islam, however, centuries of teaching that the Jews didn’t kill Christ have now given way to an embrace of the very claims Christians have renounced. When Vatican II convened, it was Arab and Muslim organizations that most vehemently opposed exculpating the Jews of deicide—the Quran notwithstanding.
In the 19th century, anti-Semitism became increasingly racialized. Notions that human beings belonged to different races, some superior to others. Under these notions, Jews (as well as Africans and others) were deemed to be biologically and thus immutably inferior to white or “Aryan” Europeans.
Bernard Lewis’ classic book Semites and Anti-Semites provides insight into how this condition came to be. As he notes, anti-Semitism in Arab countries (and non-Arab Islamic states such as Iran) has risen as Jew-hating in the areas formerly known as Christendom has plummeted. For example, whatever one thinks of the extent of anti-Semitism still extant within the Catholic Church, most Westerners consider the 1964 decision by the Second Vatican Council to repudiate claims that Jews killed Christ to be a mark of progress, to say the least. In Islam, however, centuries of teaching that the Jews didn’t kill Christ have now given way to an embrace of the very claims Christians have renounced. When Vatican II convened, it was Arab and Muslim organizations that most vehemently opposed exculpating the Jews of deicide—the Quran notwithstanding.
In the 19th century, anti-Semitism became increasingly racialized. Notions that human beings belonged to different races, some superior to others. Under these notions, Jews (as well as Africans and others) were deemed to be biologically and thus immutably inferior to white or “Aryan” Europeans.
Things changed during 1850-1900s. Jews turned to Zionism as a solution to escalating European persecution and Arab antisemitism. Jews had maintained a sizable presence in the ancient kingdom of Judea (which in the late 19th century Europeans began calling Palestine).
Jewish settlers ran into conflicts with local Arabs. As crude anti-Semitic ideas circulated more widely, the view of Jews as greedy, devious, and bent on world domination became bound up with the Arab critique of Zionism. The first major expression of the now-common view that Jewish settlement was published in 1909 by Turkish journalist Yunus Nadi, who warned without any evidence at all that the Jews aimed to establish “an Israelite kingdom comprising the ancient states of Babel and Nineveh, with Jerusalem at its center.” The conspiratorial notion of the Jews as plotting to take over the world quickly developed.
Because Arab leaders shared the Germans’ hostility to Britain and France—the dominant colonial powers in the Middle East—they were eager to make common cause with Hitler, despite Nazi belief that they, like the Jews, were inferior to Aryans. The mufti of Jerusalem, among others, actively spread propaganda about “Anglo-Saxon Jewish greed” while praising the Nazi war effort. Even years later, sympathy for Nazism could be easily found in Arab culture. When Israel apprehended Adolf Eichmann in 1960, a Saudi newspaper headline read, “Capture of Eichmann, Who Had the Honor of Killing Five Million Jews.”
Jewish settlers ran into conflicts with local Arabs. As crude anti-Semitic ideas circulated more widely, the view of Jews as greedy, devious, and bent on world domination became bound up with the Arab critique of Zionism. The first major expression of the now-common view that Jewish settlement was published in 1909 by Turkish journalist Yunus Nadi, who warned without any evidence at all that the Jews aimed to establish “an Israelite kingdom comprising the ancient states of Babel and Nineveh, with Jerusalem at its center.” The conspiratorial notion of the Jews as plotting to take over the world quickly developed.
Because Arab leaders shared the Germans’ hostility to Britain and France—the dominant colonial powers in the Middle East—they were eager to make common cause with Hitler, despite Nazi belief that they, like the Jews, were inferior to Aryans. The mufti of Jerusalem, among others, actively spread propaganda about “Anglo-Saxon Jewish greed” while praising the Nazi war effort. Even years later, sympathy for Nazism could be easily found in Arab culture. When Israel apprehended Adolf Eichmann in 1960, a Saudi newspaper headline read, “Capture of Eichmann, Who Had the Honor of Killing Five Million Jews.”
by History101MiddleEast February 03, 2021
Someone who has an Arabic name is usually an Arab or Arabic in descent. They usually speak the language Arabic and predominantly live in North Africa or the Middle East. They are a Semitic people, like the Hebrew-speaking Jews.
An Arab is not necessarily a Muslim and a Muslim is not necessarily an Arab. Islam was founded in an Arab nation and the Qur'an is written in Arabic. However, Islam spread to many other parts of the Old World immediately following its founding, to places where Arabs do not reside, such as Indonesia, which is the largest Muslim state. Therefore, there are many more non-Arab Muslims in the world than Arab Muslims. Arabs however are also Catholics and there are even some Arab Jews.
An Arab is not necessarily a Muslim and a Muslim is not necessarily an Arab. Islam was founded in an Arab nation and the Qur'an is written in Arabic. However, Islam spread to many other parts of the Old World immediately following its founding, to places where Arabs do not reside, such as Indonesia, which is the largest Muslim state. Therefore, there are many more non-Arab Muslims in the world than Arab Muslims. Arabs however are also Catholics and there are even some Arab Jews.
by jthom9 January 22, 2009
A group of people. Arabs have a rich culture and heritage. Some are bad; some are good. Arabs are like any other race. This group of people is now a scapegoat for ignorant rednecks. I am a typical white American and I have glimpsed racism against this group of people. I am truly sorry.
Redneck: LOOK ARABS! They're terrorists!
Me: Be silent. I'm German. Does that mean I hate Jews? Open your mind and see all people as your brothers and sisters.
Me: Be silent. I'm German. Does that mean I hate Jews? Open your mind and see all people as your brothers and sisters.
by A Christian, June 30, 2006
ARAB = An arab is someone who can speak arabic as a first language. Being from the middle east doesn't mean that your an ARAB. AN ARAB IS SOMEONE WHO CAN SPEAK ARABIC fluently.
by Ferris Alsagri November 07, 2006
arabs r ppl that ben very missunderstod in the past few years they r a decint coulture but they have some ppl that have some crazy belive's that's wrong , I am an arab and i am really proud, now i will explane what ppl have inderstod wrong for the past few years, arab's r mostly muslims but there is a little bit of christians and jews, c arab's r just like other ppl they dnt alwayes think about america and bush but lets just remeber that he started this shit a long time ago ( no offence ) so0 the terorest arab's r all muslim's they think that killing a person who dosent belive in islam is their perpose so0 they r EXTREEEMLY wrong its actually forbidden in our riligion 2 kill some 1 without war between ur country and his (or any other thing)the problem is that makes more terorests (in my point) is the racism ,c i am born in america in colorado but now i live in saudi arabia and still when i go 2 america they alwayes think i am going 2 blow their ass up , they keep askin me if i was a terorest actually i will say that truth i dnt give a daimm what they think i just wanna live my life cuz its now or never i aent gonna live 4 ever ,.... but some ppl take it seriously and when we talk 2 the athourties thet ignore us ,,,,, i just wanted 2 explane this...2 make thing's cool .. and actually if i suprized u i am 15 years old only... peace and love
dudes i didint know that i have 2 give an example soo this is just nothin, peace (the notorious arab)
by tamer arsenal lover January 10, 2007
"Arab funnies" are a stereotypical type of meme. They tend to be loud, ironic and strange snippits of videos with cringy, funny and weird editing over top of them. Most of them contain old 2012 memes and ironic emojis stretched and plastered across the screen with funky sounds playing in the background at random intervals, mostly common sound effects from old cartoons. The main video/content is in the background which is usually something ranging from horrific to outright confusing. Not all arab funnies have to be videos as they can simply be images as well.
Person 1: Hey dude have you seen this bizarre arab funny? It's so weird!
Person 2: Let me see... ...What the fuck did I just watch?
Person 1: *Dying of laughter*
Person 2: Let me see... ...What the fuck did I just watch?
Person 1: *Dying of laughter*
by Put.Dispenser.Here December 18, 2019