Anti-Semitism in Egypt

Whatever the facts, the mainstream media has its own narrative of the events in the Middle East. Regarding Egypt it has seen the overthrow of the Mubarak regime as the dawn of a bright democratic future.

As readers of this blog know, I have taken exception to this rosy scenario. Egyptians think it normal to mutilate their daughters; they largely support the imposition of Shariah law; and they suffer from a rabid form of anti-Semitism.

Martin Krossel just posted a column about the Western media‘s failure to report on anti-Semitism in Egypt. He reported on the recent return to Egypt of the world’s most important Muslim Brotherhood cleric, one Yusaf al-Qawadari. The esteemed cleric quickly called for a Muslim takeover of Jerusalem.

Krossel also emphasized that Lara Logan was sexually assaulted because the crowd took her for a Jew and an Israeli spy. Link here.

In the tweet that brought this column to my attention Kirsten Powers remarked: “You wld have to willfully not [to] see it; it's so pervasive.” As you may know, Powers has family in Egypt and has kept close watch on the situation.

The mainstream media’s failure to report all of the facts has lulled many Westerners into a false sense of complacency about the outcome of the current turmoil sweeping the Middle East.

But there is more to the story. If the new Egypt will enshrine anti-Semitism as one of its fundamental values, this has consequences beyond Israel.

Since Israel, by our American lights, should represent a beacon pointing toward a more democratic and capitalistic Middle East, the Egyptian hatred of Israel and Jews means that it is not prepared to enact political or economic reforms that would put entail emulating the Jewish state.