Israel's Success Fuels Arab Hatred

NRO: Arab Hatred Of Israel A Symptom, Not Malady, Of Crisis

(National Review Online)  To suggest primordial envy as a cause of the present conundrum is to be written off as a reductionist by the realists and Arabists of the State Department.

Most instead insist that the return of the Golan Heights and the West Bank would at last inaugurate the missing peace in a way the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and Gaza so far have not.

As with the writings and rantings of bin Laden and Dr. Zawahiri, these experts should perhaps listen to what is actually being said by the prominent Palestinians themselves — not what we keep thinking they should say.

They might examine, for instance, an excerpt from the recent statements of the Palestinian-born Al-Jazeera editor-in-chief, Ahmed Sheikh, who granted an interview this month with Pierre Heumann, the Middle East correspondent of the Swiss weekly Die Weltwoche. He is not a mere propagandist, but a keen and influential observer of the current Arab temperament.

Sheikh: In many Arab states, the middle class is disappearing. The rich get richer and the poor get still poorer. Look at the schools in Jordan, Egypt or Morocco: You have up to 70 youngsters crammed together in a single classroom. How can a teacher do his job in such circumstances? The public hospitals are also in a hopeless condition. These are just examples. They show how hopeless the situation is for us in the Middle East.

Heumann: Who is responsible for the situation?

Sheikh: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most important reasons why these crises and problems continue to simmer. The day when Israel was founded created the basis for our problems. The West should finally come to understand this. Everything would be much calmer if the Palestinians were given their rights.

Heumann: Do you mean to say that if Israel did not exist, there would suddenly be democracy in Egypt, that the schools in Morocco would be better, that the public clinics in Jordan would function better?

Sheikh: I think so.

Heumann: Can you please explain to me what the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has to do with these problems?

Sheikh: The Palestinian cause is central for Arab thinking.

Heumann: In the end, is it a matter of feelings of self-esteem?

Sheikh: Exactly. It’s because we always lose to Israel. It gnaws at the people in the Middle East that such a small country as Israel, with only about 7 million inhabitants, can defeat the Arab nation with its 350 million. That hurts our collective ego. The Palestinian problem is in the genes of every Arab. The West’s problem is that it does not understand this.

How strange that Mr. Sheikh, if for the wrong reasons, has inadvertently echoed the neoconservative thesis that only with fundamental reform will come Arab prosperity — a progress that in turn will bolster the “collective ego” enough for Arabs to forget an Israel that seems to “gnaw” at the Middle East.

Elsewhere in the interview Ahmed Sheikh, who enjoys a prominent role in forming recent public opinion throughout the Arab world, is largely prescient about the West’s misunderstanding of the “genes of every Arab.” As we see with the latest return of the surrealists to foreign policy influence, we surely do not understand the depths or causes of Arab and Muslim psychological exasperation with Israel.

Thus Jim Baker & Co. or a Jimmy Carter apparently assumes that Ahmed Sheikh’s dreamlike Arab version of middle class tax cuts, No Child Left Behind, or Open Enrollments for HMOs will usher peace to the region if only Israel would concede what its enemies demand or disappear entirely.

This is utter nonsense, precisely because Arab detestation of Israel is a symptom, not the malady, of the current Arab crisis of the spirit. Ahmed Sheikh himself stumbles onto that truth. To gain the necessary maturity and self-confidence that would mitigate scapegoating Israel, the Arab Middle East would have to make vast structural changes in traditional Islamic society that would usher in freedom, prosperity, and security.

In other words, new Arab consensual societies would have to create the sort of landscape that they see elsewhere in Europe, Asia, North America, and Israel when they turn on their satellite TVs and browse the internet — and also understand that such success came from within, not merely from foreign aid or the accidental discovery of oil beneath their feet.

And what would that landscape look like?

Something along the lines of what the West has been attempting in both Afghanistan and Iraq: freedom of the press, alliance to the state rather than to the tribe, constitutional government, tolerance for diverse opinion and belief, equality of the sexes, an open economy, and government transparency to ensure the protection of capital and investment.

Meet even a partial list of all that, and soon an economy would prosper without oil; schools would teach knowledge rather than hatred, bias, and religious superstition; and clinics might have their own competently trained and equipped medical personnel.

Palestine really is the touchstone of the Middle East, insofar as it is a valuable window into the minds and hearts of Middle Easterners. The sources of Arab anger about Israel should remind us of the need both to keep pressuring Middle East governments to reform and to continue trying to stabilize Iraq in hopes that something can emerge there different from the theocracy to its south, the autocracy to its west, and the monarchies to its east.

Finally, there is yet another irony to Mr. Sheikh’s lamentations (which we will apparently soon be privileged to hear, when al Jazeera goes live in English throughout the West): Where alone in the Middle East is there his dream of an Arab middle class of sorts? Where do Arabs have good schools? And where is there adequate medical care?

Ask the over one million Palestinians who live in a democratic Israel.

[feelfree1]

DRinUK,

Your comment is definitely worthy of repetition.

[feelfree1]

honestSam,

Re: "Unfortunately, you will be consumed by your hateful instincts against Israel."

I don't waste much time or energy on hatred. Hatred and fear are the primary tools of those whom I oppose. Ignorance is a close runner-up.

Re: 'Someone who calls for the destruction another sovereign state can never feel free.'

Please review my comments. I have not called for anything similar to what you are asserting.

[drinuk]

I have stated it on the Jimmy Carter column and I will repeat it. The slaughter of British Peace Keepers in 1948 by Jews lead by the likes of Mayer and Begin was terrorism, nothing more or less. They stole a country by the Gun ! acts similar to which Bush and Blair used as an excuse to go to war. The sooner the Jewish people understand that we were ALL chosen by God the better this world will be.

Contrary to Jewish myth and belief, distorted history and propaganda, the day of the real truth will be with sooner rather than later, the lies and nonsense will then be a true revelation. They would be well advised to get Their House in order.

[grumpas]

Give me a break leochel!!!! The nonsense you are spouting comes from a book written by Jews for Jews! I would hardly call that proof of anything! At least Carter is smart enough not to entertwine religion and politic's! He still knows what the constitution is and a Separation of Church and State that is more than I can say for most of you! The Separation of Church and State is what has made this country great! We haven't had (up until George Bush came along) any of the blood-letting that goes with religion getting to deeply into politic's! I hate to see this country go that direction where we are a state sponsored religion.

[honestsam]

The author was absolutely right, mediocrity or absolute failure breeds hate and this is very evident in the Arab world.

[honestsam]

To 'feelfree1' welcome back from Iran. Unfortunately, you will be consumed by your hateful instincts against Israel. Someone who calls for the destruction another sovereign state can never feel free.You see people like you who sees Israel as a stumbling block has always ended up crushing their feet against it.

[ronniehm]

"Israel's Success Fuels Arab Hatred"

Aardvarks fuel arab hatred.
Accordions fuel arab hatred.
Acorns fuel arab hatred.
Adhesive fuels arab hatred.
Adjectives fuel arab hatred...

Forget it. Get your own dictionary.

[on_alert247]

I agree with you crazyivan32. You made a point that despite the efforts of several others posting here cannot be comprehended by FeelFree. FeelFree either is a Muslim or far-left social democratic. Both are anti-Semitic and cannot distinguish the difference between an Imam, President of a country or militant leader calling for the extermination of Jews and non-believers from our President. There is a blind hatred at work in both groups readily apparent in their verbiage. The first can be explained by Islam, the latter I don't know. I've only personally known one person like FeelFree. He was extremely cynical and preferred reading to socializing. He never really got out into the world to confront the demons he so convincingly created in his mind. Too bad FeelFree cannot sit in on policy decisions made in Congress or the Knesset where he is forced to confront reality and would be held to account for his words.

[crazyivan32]

feelfree - You say: "I am inspired by the ideals as outlined in our fundamental documents and framework, such as the U.S. Constitution."

How can this be when you deny the same rule of law, plurality, and equal rights that is present in Israel? I see America and Israel as VERY similar in their forms of government, something that is at the root of Arab hatred for both countries. How can you deny that Israel has flourished, much like the US, under very difficult circumstances, and has made itself a center of science, medicine, arts, culture, mathematics, etc...while the Arab world is utterly stagnated. And that that stagnation is due in large part to theocracy, autocracy, self-loathing, lack of opportunity, and blind hatred, and the absence of the very things that Israel (and the US) have embraced: the rule of law, plurality, freedom of religion, and empowerment of women?

[kkilmer]

I really was impressed with your column. The posts above don't sound like they actually read your column. Emotions run deep!

How do you convince a culture to change to our culture with its accompanying hard work, (maybe too hard) and commitment to the individual. In the middle east, family and tribe are more important than the individual.

Also, how do you convince a culture that letting women have more freedom is good for that culture, when in the short term, there will be lots of men that do not think their lives getting better at all and probably worse, at least by the standards they value now. And even more, how do you undo generations of learned hatred?

[feelfree1]

leochel,

Re: "Israel is a theocracy rather than a democracy."

You got that right! One that worships the U.S. dollar!

Israel is a perfect example of what can go wrong when Church and State are intertwined!

[leochel-2009]

In his book former President Carter says that Israelis have never granted autonomy to Palestinians. Who are "Palestinians"? A mixture of peoples from Egypt,Syria,Cyprus,Jordan etc who appeared on the scene AFTER the Jews arrived. They didn't want the land before. It was a wilderness. But they envied the way God blessed the Jews. It has never been the remit of Israel to hand over land to the "Palestinians" because the land was a gift from God. This is why Carter's reference to Israel's so-called non-compliance with "international" law is illogical. Who are the United Nations anyway? Mostly small nations uninterested in impartiality. In another place Carter talks of peace moves requiring to be approved by the Arabs. Why? Israel is a theocracy rather than a democracy. Her boss is God [JudaioChristian].
Has Carter ever lived in Israel as a private citizen? When I was there I saw no persecution of "Palestinians". Rather, I was impressed by how tolerant they were --a lesson to us all!
Actually appeasement doesn't work. It didn't work prior to WW2 with the then German leader and it doesn't work today. Generosity is mistaken for weakness and encourages further demands or aggression. Carter is carrying political correctness to the nth degree.

[feelfree1]

crazyivan32,

Re: "feelfree1 - Why do you live in the US, a country you clearly hate and have nothing but contempt for?"

I have a lot of friends and family here, and I am inspired by the ideals as outlined in our fundamental documents and framework, such as the U.S. Constitution.

I feel an obligation to stick around and help regain control of our runaway big-Corporate government, to help reclaim some of our collective dignity, and to hold the extremists responsible for propping up the criminal Bush regime, to account for their deeds.

It appears that it is the fascistic-leaning Bush bobble-heads, whose welcome is wearing out.

Where do you think you might go?

[crazyivan32]

feelfree1 - Why do you live in the US, a country you clearly hate and have nothing but contempt for?

[alpha157]

why all the concern about the poor unfortunate israelis? their reaction to the hezbollah cross border excursion this pas summer was only a delayed reaction to their failed occupation during the 80's. flattening an entire country over the deaths of a few soldiers was entirely unacceptable. this is the same rash behavior that the zionists in israel always exhibit when incorrectly believe that the way to negotiate any thing is through fear. this time it blew up in their faces and they will forced to pay the price for this for generations to come. they have lost whatever sympathy the world had for them, and whatevet thread of hope that was remaining that they could maintain any influence or control over their northern defense perimeter in the distant future.

[nynative1340]

"...a collection of every crackpot anti-Semite the world over...?" Hanson is a fool. Arabs are Semites, too.

"Where alone in the Middle East is there his dream of an Arab middle class of sorts?" Well, duhh!! If the top 2 percent of the population control 90 percent of the wealth, as the rich oil Sheiks do, THERE IS NO MIDDLE-CLASS!! AND THE POOR SUFFER TERRIBLY!!

Not much different than here in the U.S. where the top 20 percent control 80 percent of the wealth and the middle-class is slowly disappearing.

[feelfree1]

JacobsTruth,

Re: "Sorry FeelFree1 I cannot call you anything less than an im be cile."

O.K., but if you can provide any coherent challenge to any of the points that I have made here, rather than resorting to name-calling, I'm sure that someone here might be interested in your thoughts.

Better luck next time.

[feelfree1]

scouser9999,

Re: "Yeah, cut of that 5 billion welfare check they recieve from America each year along with most sophisticated American weaponary and lets see how they would engage the enemy. My guess is even more ineptly than they did last time."

Very good point!

[feelfree1]

crazyivan32,

Re: "Feelfree1 - Do you live in the U.S.?"

Yes.

[feelfree1]

hsmagst,

Re: "enough reason to slaughter (civilians in Lebanon) along with any combatant as far as I am concerned."

Your advocation for the mass-murder of civilians indicates that you have surrendered any moral athority to call anyone else a terrorist.

You are not alone. The Israeli leadership shares this dubious distinction, right along with you.