Scapegoating Israel

For people who say that the kind of anti-Zionism you see coming out of the middle east is a legitimate criticism of Israeli policies, read this statement made by the Prince of Saudi Arabia to his country after the latest series of Al Quada attacks there. It always amazes me what they're able to get away with saying over there and still be heard. Such statements should serve as proof that misleading, completely untruthful and harmful propaganda directed at Jews is still commonplace in the middle east, and actually in other places in the world as well.

NBC News translated Crown Prince Abdullah remarks from Arabic: "Zionism is behind it. It has become clear now. It has become clear to us. I don't say, I mean... It is not 100 percent, but 95 percent that the Zionist hands are behind what happened."

Other senior Saudi officials reaffirmed the claim that supporters of Israel - Zionists - were behind the terror attacks.

Prince Nayef, the Saudi Interior Minister said, "Al-Qaida is backed by Israel and Zionism."

Apparently it wasn't just a slip-up either. Saudi officials continue to defend the statement:

As for the alleged Saudi doublespeak, a Saudi official in the United States defends the remarks, arguing that Zionists and others who argue for regime change in Saudi Arabia "share the same objective as Osama bin Laden."

My friend Oren did a nice discussion on the sheer stupidity of the people who believe these claims. A Saudi Arabian has to have the information available to him to make the easy conclusion that Israel supporting Al Quada is absurd. Just because they share the same objective of regime change in Saudi Arabia - and for totally opposite reasons; Israel would like to insert a regime that doesn't spew dangerous demagoguery and instigate hatred of Israel, Al Quada would like a regime that practices Islamic totalitarianism - doesn't make collaboration between the two anything but completely unlikely. Or does the statement mean "Israel has inflamed and fomented these extremists, and now we have to deal with them in our own back yard?" This reading is incompatible with the main premise, which is that Israel backs Al Quada and is behind the latest series of attacks in Saudi Arabia.