Antisemitism in the Arab world

Arab anti-Semitism is anti-Semitism (bias towards or discrimination against Jews ) in the Arab world. As the Arab-Israeli conflict has placed Arab states in conflict with the Jewish state of Israel for decades, alleged and actual anti-Semitism has been a recurring issue in Arab countries, and is the source of much controversy.

( Learn how and when to remove this message ) See also: Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries , Islam and antisemitism , and Racism in the Palestinian territories Antisemitism in the Arab world refers to discrimination against Jews in Arab countries. While Arabs are also a Semitic people, the meaning of the English term "antisemitism" refers to discrimination against Jews (see Antisemitism: Etymology and usage ). Arab antisemitism is believed to have expanded since the 19th century. Jews, like other minority groups within the Muslim world , were subject to various restrictions long before that (see Dhimmi ). However, despite its restrictive nature, dhimmi status also afforded the " People of the Book ", provided they did not contest the inferior social and legal status imposed on them, relative security against persecution and welfare most of the time—a protection that was missing for non-Christians in most of Europe until the institutionalization of equality under a secular idea of citizenship after the French Revolution —and allowed them to enjoy their respective religious laws and ways of life. Antisemitism in the Arab world has increased greatly in modern times, for many reasons: the breakdown of the Ottoman Empire and traditional Islamic society; European influence, brought about by Western imperialism and Christian Arabs ; Nazi propaganda ; resentment over Jewish nationalism that led to the colonization of the Ottoman Empire's southern Syrian province (see Zionism ); and the rise of Arab nationalism. The rise of political Islam during the 1980s and afterwards provided a new mutation of Islamic antisemitism , which gave the hatred of Jews a religious component. In his view this is because, for the most part, Arabs are not Christians brought up on stories of Jewish deicide . In Islam, such stories are rejected by the Qur'an as a blasphemous absurdity. Since Muslims do not consider themselves as the "true Israel", they do not feel threatened by the survival of Jews. Because Islam did not retain the Old Testament , no clash of interpretations between the two faiths can therefore arise. There is, says Lewis, no Muslim theological dispute between their religious institutions and the Jews. While there were antisemitic incidents in the early twentieth century, antisemitism increased dramatically as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Palestinian exodus, the creation of the state of Israel, and Israeli victories during the wars of 1956 and 1967 were a severe humiliation to Israel's opponents - primarily Egypt, Syria and Iraq. However, by the mid 1970s the vast majority of Jews had either left or been expelled from Arab and Muslim countries , moving primarily to Israel, France and the United States. The reasons for the exodus are varied and disputed. By the 1980s, according to Bernard Lewis, the volume of antisemitic literature published in the Arab world, and the authority of its sponsors, seemed to suggest that classical antisemitism had become an essential part of Arab intellectual life, considerably more than in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century France, and to a degree that has been compared to Nazi Germany . In their 2008 report on contemporary Arab-Muslim antisemitism, the Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center dates the beginning of this phenomenon to the spread of classic European Christian antisemitism into the Arab world starting in the late 19th century. The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East . " Contemporary Arab-Muslim anti-Semitism, its Significance and Implications ", Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC) , April 17, 2008. The Times of Israel .

Traditionally, Jews in the Muslim world were considered to be People of the Book and were given dhimmi status. They were afforded relative security against persecution, provided they did not contest the inferior social and legal status imposed on them. While there were antisemitic incidents before the 20th century, antisemitism increased dramatically as a result of the Arab–Israeli conflict . After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , the Palestinian exodus , the creation of the state of Israel and Israeli victories during the wars of 1956 and 1967 were a severe humiliation to Israel's opponents—primarily Egypt , Syria and Iraq. However, by the mid-1970s the vast majority of Jews had left Arab and Muslim countries , moving primarily to Israel, France and the United States. The reasons for the exodus are varied and disputed. By the 1980s, according to historian Bernard Lewis , the volume of antisemitic literature published in the Arab world , and the authority of its sponsors, seemed to suggest that classical antisemitism had become an essential part of Arab intellectual life, considerably more than in late 19th- and early 20th-century France and to a degree that has been compared to Nazi Germany . The rise of political Islam during the 1980s and afterwards provided a new mutation of Islamic antisemitism , giving the hatred of Jews a religious component. In their 2008 report on contemporary Arab-Muslim antisemitism, the Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center dates the beginning of this phenomenon to the spread of classic European Christian antisemitism into the Arab world starting in the late 19th century. The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East . The Times of Israel .

Hostility or discrimination against Jews in Arab-majority countries See also: Antisemitism in Islam , Arab Jews , and Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries Antisemitism (prejudice against and hatred of Jews ) has increased greatly in the Arab world since the beginning of the 20th century, for several reasons: the dissolution and breakdown of the Ottoman Empire and traditional Islamic society; European influence, brought about by Western imperialism and Arab Christians ; Nazi propaganda and relations between Nazi Germany and the Arab world ; resentment over Jewish nationalism ; the rise of Arab nationalism ; and the widespread proliferation of anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist conspiracy theories . Traditionally, Jews in the Muslim world were considered to be People of the Book and were subjected to dhimmi status. They were afforded relative security against persecution , provided they did not contest the varying inferior social and legal status imposed on them under Islamic rule. While there were antisemitic incidents before the 20th century, during this time antisemitism in the Arab world increased greatly. During the 1930s and the 1940s several Jewish communities in the Arab world suffered from pogroms . The status of Jews in Arab countries deteriorated further at the onset of the Arab–Israeli conflict . After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , the Palestinian exodus , the creation of the State of Israel and Israeli victories during the wars of 1956 and 1967 were a severe humiliation to Israel's opponents—primarily Egypt , Syria , and Iraq . However, by the mid-1970s the vast majority of Jews had left Arab and Muslim countries , moving primarily to Israel, France , and the United States . The reasons for the exodus are varied and disputed. By the 1980s, according to historian Bernard Lewis , the volume of antisemitic literature published in the Arab world, and the authority of its sponsors, seemed to suggest that classical antisemitism had become an essential part of Arab intellectual life, considerably more than in late 19th- and early 20th-century France and to a degree that has been compared to Nazi Germany . The rise of political Islam during the 1980s and afterwards provided a new mutation of Islamic antisemitism , giving the hatred of Jews a religious component. In their 2008 report on contemporary Arab-Muslim antisemitism, the Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center dates the beginning of this phenomenon to the spread of classic European Christian antisemitism into the Arab world starting in the late 19th century. The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East . During World War II and the Holocaust: Old Themes, New Archival Findings". S2CID 145568807 . • "Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Wartime Propagandist" . Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion . The Times of Israel .

Traditionally, Jews in the Muslim world were considered to be People of the Book and were subjected to dhimmi status. They were afforded relative security against persecution , provided they did not contest the varying inferior social and legal status imposed on them under Islamic rule. While there were antisemitic incidents before the 20th century, during this time antisemitism in the Arab world increased greatly. During the 1930s and the 1940s several Jewish communities in the Arab world suffered from pogroms . The status of Jews in Arab countries deteriorated further at the onset of the Arab–Israeli conflict . After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , the Palestinian exodus , the creation of the State of Israel and Israeli victories during the wars of 1956 and 1967 were a severe humiliation to Israel's opponents—primarily Egypt , Syria , and Iraq . However, by the mid-1970s the vast majority of Jews had left Arab and Muslim countries , moving primarily to Israel, France , and the United States . The reasons for the exodus are varied and disputed. By the 1980s, according to historian Bernard Lewis , the volume of antisemitic literature published in the Arab world, and the authority of its sponsors, seemed to suggest that classical antisemitism had become an essential part of Arab intellectual life, considerably more than in late 19th- and early 20th-century France and to a degree that has been compared to Nazi Germany . The rise of political Islam during the 1980s and afterwards provided a new mutation of Islamic antisemitism , giving the hatred of Jews a religious component. In their 2008 report on contemporary Arab-Muslim antisemitism, the Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center dates the beginning of this phenomenon to the spread of classic European Christian antisemitism into the Arab world starting in the late 19th century. The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East . During World War II and the Holocaust: Old Themes, New Archival Findings". S2CID 145568807 . • "Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Wartime Propagandist" . Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion . The Times of Israel .