Further Help for Those Confused About the Difference Between European and Muslim Anti-Semitism

Judging from some commenters it is very important to them to make a distiinction between those in Europe who want to kill Jews because they’re Jews (often callled “Nazis”) and those in the Middle East who want to kill Jews because they’re Jews (often called “Hamas”, “Hezbollah” etc). The fact that both groups want to kill Jews is less important to them than making semantic distinctions that will allow them to avoid facing the ugly truth: they’re serving the propoganda bidding of groups with Nazi like ideology.

Here’s how the essay’s author, historian Daniel Schwammmenthal describes the complex relationship between Hamas and the Nazis with the Grand Mufti as pivot in The Wall Street Journal:

“The depth of anti-Semitic propaganda in Palestinian and other Muslim societies is one of the most underreported facts about the Middle East. It is this anti-Semitism that predisposes Muslims in Europe to attack Jews and fuels the Mideast conflict. The hatred predates Israel’s creation. To illustrate this point: The Palestinian leader during World War II, Hajj Amin al Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, conspired with Hitler to bring the Holocaust to Palestine. Luckily, the British stopped the German troops in Africa. The Mufti spent the war years in Berlin and was later indicted for war crimes but with the help of the Muslim Brotherhood escaped to Egypt. Hamas is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Hamas and other Islamists continue what the Mufti had helped to start: a blend of European anti-Semitism and Islam-inspired Jew hatred. The rejection of Israel’s right to exist is what drives their attacks. The media, though, largely ignores Hamas’s ideology and its crimes of hiding its leaders and weapons among its own civilian population, and demonizes Israel’s attempt to protect its citizens.

“Hamas and other Islamists are not even trying to hide their ideology. Just read the Hamas charter or check out Hamas TV, including children’s programs, for a nauseating dose of murderous anti-Semitism. Last week, the French broadcasting authorities banned Hamas TV for inciting violence and hatred. Unfortunately, just like Hezbollah TV, which is also banned in Europe for its anti-Semitic and jihadi content, audiences here can still receive these programs due to Saudi Arabia’s Arabsat and Egyptian satellite provider Nilesat.

“The Islamist variation of Jew hatred is now being reimported to Europe.”

I hope this won’t be too confusing, but to the many who evidently seem to feel the nuances of the relationship between Hamas Jew-killers and Nazi Jew-killers is important, I hope it helps. The difference is not one of intention or quality of hatred, just quantity and time.