As Israeli and Palestinian negotiators move toward a much-awaited permanent settlement, there has been a shocking rise in vitriolic antisemitism across the Arab world. This extraordinary paradox of Israeli and Arab political leaders attempting to build peace while official Arab media, schools, religious leaders and intellectuals actively demonize the Jewish people is startling. Less noted was the fact these two outrages are the rule, not the exception. Across the Arab world the language of Holocaust denial has become common. While the Palestinian Authority is obligated through signed agreements with Israel to work against incitement, its official news organs do not hesitate to join in the vituperation of Israel and Jews.
Arab schools are in dutiful step with the editorial writers and columnists.
For example, a new study by the Middle East Media Research Institute reveals that Syrian textbooks for grades 4 to 11 are replete with antisemitism, Holocaust denial, demonization of Israel and, most appalling, an open call to exterminate Jews from the earth. Arab media extol the skewed and widely repudiated views of Holocaust deniers. While the United Nations has declared antisemitism a form of racism that must be condemned, Arab intellectuals are preaching it as gospel. This has long been the situation in Egypt, where as recently as March 28 several Israeli diplomats invited to a conference at the University of Cairo were denied entry when they arrived. But it also is true in Jordan, where, despite the Hashemite Kingdom's landmark peace with Israel, professional associations remain adamantly opposed to any interaction with Israelis.