"THE JEWISH PROBLEM" – Bassem’s Biggest Lie (and Piers Morgan’s Biggest Failure)

"THE JEWISH PROBLEM" – Bassem’s Biggest Lie (and Piers Morgan’s Biggest Failure)
by Bobby Darvish, Iranian-American Ex-Muslim, Christian Conservative, and LDS
Darvish Intelligence - darvishintelligence.blogspot.com

The recent exchange between Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian comedian and political commentator, and British journalist Piers Morgan regarding the so-called "Jewish problem" has shed disturbing light on a dark and ongoing narrative. In a manner typical of postmodern media, this discussion became a breeding ground for myths, half-truths, and outright lies about Israel, Zionism, and the Jewish people. Watching this exchange as an Iranian-American ex-Muslim, with Alan Y-DNA, I see an all-too-familiar pattern. Throughout history, Middle Eastern societies have blamed the Jewish people for their own political, economic, and social failures, reinforcing deep-seated antisemitism while attempting to rewrite history.

1. The "Jewish Problem" – Revisiting an Old Lie

Bassem Youssef’s rhetoric perpetuates one of the oldest anti-Semitic narratives. This "Jewish problem" is a thinly veiled adaptation of the 20th-century Nazi propaganda that demonized Jews as power-hungry and world-controlling. This age-old prejudice has been strategically repackaged within Middle Eastern and Islamist ideology, attempting to convince the world that Jewish people and Zionism are the causes of Middle Eastern instability.

As a former Muslim, I am all too aware of how indoctrination in some Muslim communities sustains these ideas, fostering hatred from a young age. These deeply embedded prejudices in Islamic teaching date back to the early days of the faith, where, despite the Quran's initial neutral treatment of Jews and Christians as "People of the Book," the subsequent interpretations and hadith collections turn hostile. For instance, the infamous hadith that says, "The Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews, and the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees" (Sahih Muslim 2922), illustrates the theological underpinning that extremists exploit to justify antisemitic sentiment.

2. Piers Morgan’s Failure to Confront the Antisemitic Agenda

Piers Morgan, renowned for his hard-hitting journalism, failed in this instance to challenge Youssef effectively. Morgan’s reluctance to interrogate Youssef’s statements enabled antisemitic sentiment to go unchecked in front of a global audience. This failure reflects a broader tendency within Western media to avoid calling out antisemitism for what it is when it comes from non-Western, specifically Muslim, sources.

Morgan missed an opportunity to question Youssef on the blatant inconsistencies and inaccuracies he presented. For instance, while Israel is portrayed by figures like Youssef as an "apartheid state," this accusation falls apart upon closer inspection. Israel is a nation that not only grants citizenship to its Arab residents but also allows them to participate in its democratic processes. There are Arab members in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, as well as Arab judges in Israeli courts. These facts debunk the "apartheid" accusation, showing it as nothing more than an inflammatory tactic.

3. Israel: A Scapegoat for Middle Eastern Regimes

In the broader Middle Eastern context, autocratic regimes use Israel as a convenient scapegoat for their own failures. Corruption, economic mismanagement, and human rights abuses go unnoticed while these governments turn their peoples’ frustrations toward Israel and the Jewish people. By stoking these flames, they maintain their grip on power, diverting attention from domestic problems to the "external enemy." Iran’s regime is a prime example of this tactic. While my homeland suffers from economic hardship, political oppression, and severe human rights violations, the Iranian government diverts its people's attention toward the destruction of Israel.

I grew up hearing the slogan "Death to Israel" from a young age, a chant that accompanied nearly every Friday prayer in the mosques I attended as a young Muslim in Iran. As I have come to understand, these chants have nothing to do with Israel’s actual policies but are rooted in the insecurities and authoritarianism of the Iranian regime.

4. Jewish Contribution to Middle Eastern History and Civilization

The notion of a "Jewish problem" ignores the substantial contributions that Jews have made to civilization, including in Middle Eastern history. Jewish communities have thrived across the region, contributing to art, science, and philosophy from ancient Persia to medieval Spain. My own heritage includes the influence of Jewish thought and culture, deeply embedded in Iran’s history. Many Iranian Jews, for instance, trace their roots back thousands of years to the era of Cyrus the Great, who freed Jewish exiles from Babylon and allowed them to return to Jerusalem—a far cry from the treatment Jews receive in Islamic-majority nations today.

But these historical realities are conveniently forgotten or ignored by figures like Youssef. The persecution of Jews in Muslim lands throughout history, from forced conversions to massacres, is overlooked in favor of a narrative that paints Jews as perpetual oppressors. This perspective not only distorts history but erases the shared heritage and achievements that Middle Eastern Jews have contributed to our civilization.

5. Standing Against Antisemitism as a Christian and Conservative

As a Christian conservative, I reject this divisive and hateful rhetoric. The teachings of Jesus Christ stand firmly against any form of hatred, and I find it tragic that even today, people continue to spread falsehoods and propagate division. My LDS faith teaches me to love all of God's children and to pursue truth. Antisemitism, in all its forms, is a rejection of that truth.

Piers Morgan’s failure to challenge Youssef’s statements represents a broader issue within Western media and politics, where antisemitic views often receive a pass when framed as "criticism of Israel." The line between criticism of a state and hatred for an entire people is blurred intentionally by figures like Youssef, capitalizing on Western reluctance to confront prejudice head-on.

It is time for those in the media and positions of influence to recognize and challenge this rhetoric wherever it appears. The stakes are too high to allow these lies to go unchallenged, especially when they fuel hatred and violence. As an Iranian-American ex-Muslim Christian, I understand the importance of standing against lies, whether they come from our media, our leaders, or cultural icons. The truth matters, and it is only by exposing these lies that we can hope to overcome the prejudices that still plague our world.

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Citations

1. Sahih Muslim 2922 - The Hadith Collection. Available at: https://sunnah.com/muslim/54/105
2. Beinart, P. (2021). "The Myth of the Jewish Lobby." The Atlantic. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com
3. Bard, M. (2020). The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Primer for Laypersons. Available at: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-arab-israeli-conflict
4. Lewis, B. (2008). The Jews of Islam. Princeton University Press.
5. Rosenthal, S. (2023). "The Historical Contributions of Jewish Communities in the Middle East." Middle East Quarterly. Available at: https://www.meforum.org