Anti-Semitic Developments in the Arab World: Egypt-Tunisia-Jordan-Lebanon

Los Angeles — Muslim pro-democracy advocates joined with officials of the Simon Wiesenthal Center to denounce last week’s riot in front of Tunis’ main synagogue. Rabbi Hier called onEgyptian leaders and other pro-democracy leaders in the region to repudiate anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence that has accompanied some of the demonstrations callingfor greater freedom in the Arab world.

Watch video of press conference here...

Egypt:

..."Oh Allah, ... kill them, down to the very last one.”

Today as two million Egyptians participated in a “Victory March”, the long-exiled spiritual head of the Muslim Brotherhood Sheikh Yousefal-Qaradawi, addressed those gathered for noon prayers in Tahrir Square. Qaradawi, a virulent Jew-hater and advocate of suicide bombings, has often called for the deathof all Jews:, “...oh Allah, take this oppressive, tyrannical band of people…take this oppressive, Jewish Zionist band of people…do not spare a single one of them. OhAllah, count their numbers, and kill them, down to the very last one.”

“Jew! Jew!”, was screamed by a mob during the sexual assault and brutal attack of veteran CBS correspondent Lara Logan during the celebration in Tahrir Square of HosniMubarak’s ouster. Just one day earlier, Logan told Esquire.com that Egyptian soldiers accused her and her crew of "being Israeli spies". Logan, the mother of two, is notJewish.

•Action: A SWC op/ed published in today’s Huffington Post warns that “Egypt’s future will not be secured only through free and open elections but…[must]begin to de-construct the culture of anti-Jewish hate.”

Tunisia:

"Jews wait, the army of Mohammed is coming back!"
Last Friday, a mob outside Tunis’ main synagogue called for the murder of all Jews in the world raising fears for the security of the Jewish community.

•Action: Center officials reached out to leaders from www.freetunisia.org, the organization that played a key role in Tunisia’s democratictransformation. The group denounced the incident online and a press conference with SWC officials.

Jordan:

Jordan's new Justice Minister continued to inflame tensions with Israel, when he told Jordan’s Al-Arab Al-Yom newspaper that Israel is a “Terrorist state that will bedestroyed”. He was condemned in Israel after he joined protesters calling for the release of a terrorist serving time in Jordan for killing seven Israeli school childrenin 1997.

• Action: Rabbi Marvin Hier spoke at length with a senior Jordanian personality to express the Jewish world’s deepening concern overdevelopments in the country that has the longest border with the State of Israel

Lebanon:

Lebanon’s head, Hassan Nasrallah called on 'Islamic resistance fighters' to 'be ready for the day when war is forced on Lebanon'; Hezbollah leader who escaped Egyptianprison appears at rally where Nasrallah spoke.

• Action: SWC urges the US and European Union to make a commitment to work towards the reversal of anti-Jewish hate a requirement for futurefinancial aid and diplomatic support for NGOs in the Arab world.