The recent visit of a quasi-official Saudi delegation to Israel ignited a fierce debate in the kingdom’s press, in which a number of columnists argued for a change in attitude toward Jews and the Jewish state. The translators at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) explain:
Over the past month, the Saudi press has featured a number of highly unusual articles harshly critical of the anti-Semitic discourse in Arab and Muslim society. . . . The articles argue that [anti-Jewish] Quranic passages only apply to specific groups during specific time periods, and should not be applied to Jews in general. They add that blind hatred of Jews everywhere has prevented Arabs and Muslims from learning the lessons of the Jewish experience, and Jewish advancement. . . .
The [Saudi delegation’s] visit, which was seen as a Saudi step towards normalizing relations with the Jewish state, sparked harsh criticism inside and outside the kingdom. . . . Likely as a response to this criticism, the Saudi Foreign Ministry distanced itself from [the delegation]. . . . However, . . . despite the Saudi regime’s denial that the visit heralded normalization, the publication of Saudi articles attacking anti-Semitic discourse specifically at this time is no coincidence, and is likely meant to lay the groundwork for public acceptance in the country of normalized relations with Israel.
One of these journalists, Siham al-Qahtani, wrote guardedly:
In [Arab collective] memory, Jewish history is associated with a plot. Behind every disaster in Arab history—from [intra-Muslim conflict in the 7th century] to the fall of the Islamic caliphates, to the occupation of Palestine—there are [supposedly] hidden Jewish hands! In this way, Arab fundamentalism regarding Arab-Jewish relations taught us to link [Jews to conspiracies].
In Arab memory this formula has become a defensive trick, used [by the Arabs] to absolve themselves of blame, paint themselves as victims, and avoid accountability and punishment. I do not reject [out of hand] the notion of “a Jewish plot against the Arabs,” because I believe that such a plot does exist, but such plots could not have been realized without the ignorance of Arabs, their improper attitude, and the division in their ranks. The chief enemy of Arabs is Arabs [themselves].
Read more on MEMRI: http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/189/0/9391.htm