Perpetuating their own darkness

[ForestsBeatBushes]

Close to 25 percent of university graduates in 22 Arab states emigrated from their countries during the period 1995-1996. In 1998-2000, over 15,000 Arab doctors left their home countries. In 2001, the average distribution of a book in all the Arab countries, whose populations total 284 million residents, was 1,000-3,000 copies. Some 17 percent of the books published deal with religion.

<snip>

Israel is criticized, of course, for its attacks on the Palestinians, while the report contains not one word about the terror attacks on Jews - and is thus similar to the censorship that it criticizes. Beyond that, however, this is a courageous report that dares to criticize the radical Islamic movements and to speak out against the authoritarian regimes that rule the Arab world.

<snip>

What, then, maintains these dark Arab regimes that encourage backwardness and are responsible for the destruction of an ancient culture? Apparently, it is mainly their hatred toward Israel - and more recently, toward Jews. Even many Arab intellectuals (although not this report) state that until the "Zionist occupation" is destroyed, there can be no talk of reforms.

Thus, a vicious cycle has been created: Israel serves as a convenient target for fierce and intensifying hatred, due to which the reforms demanded by the report are being delayed; but that selfsame hatred also delays the establishment of real peace that can make these reforms possible.


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/356785.html

[ForestsBeatBushes]

1. well, they are

and I even used haaretz since one of the "P's" of the "I/P's" posted it's acceptable to him :eyes: !

[bluesoul]

2. Good for you!

Much better then JPost no doubt about that! :toast: :bounce:

[bemildred]

3. It's an interesting piece.

Up to this point:

What, then, maintains these dark Arab regimes that encourage
backwardness and are responsible for the destruction of an ancient
culture? Apparently, it is mainly their hatred toward Israel - and
more recently, toward Jews.


The notion that hatred of Israel and Jews will maintain a state in
power can only be characterized are ridiculous. If such a thing
were true I can assure you that anti-semitism, the more virulent the
better, would much more popular than it is.

It is true that it is convenient for repressive governments to have
an external threat to enforce internal cohesion, but that is a matter
of who one has handy to demonize. Oil money and foreign meddling
have far more to do with the state of the Muslim nations than the
particular bigotries and nutball religious sects running around, which
are more in the nature of symptoms than causes.