Review Finds Slurs In '06 Saudi Texts
Academy in Fairfax Making Revisions

By Jerry Markon and Ben Hubbard
Washington Post Staff Writers, Tuesday, July 15, 2008; B01

A Saudi-funded academy in Fairfax County used textbooks as recently as 2006 that compared Jews and Christians to apes and pigs, told eighth-graders that these groups are "the enemies of the believers" and diagrammed for high school students where to cut off the hands and feet of thieves, a Washington Post review of the books has found.

Saudi officials acknowledged that the textbooks used at the Islamic Saudi Academy had contained inflammatory material since at least the mid-1990s but said they ordered revisions in 2006. School administrators said that they have been scrambling to change the texts and that all potentially offensive passages will be gone by the coming academic year. But, they said, teachers have always been told to avoid inflammatory material in the classroom.

A sampling of 2006-07 Islamic studies textbooks showed that much of the controversial material had been removed. At least one book still contained passages that extolled jihad and martyrdom, called for victory over one's enemies and said the killing of adulterers and apostates was "justified."

The academy, founded in 1984, has about 1,000 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and is separated into boys' and girls' schools. It is the only Saudi-funded school in the United States. About 70 percent of the academy's students are U.S. citizens drawn from the region's Muslim communities. About a quarter are Saudi.

The school has leased land from Fairfax for two decades and has been the subject of growing controversy. Last month, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said the academy's textbooks contain passages that advocate violence, less than a year after calling on the State Department to close the school unless it can prove that it is not teaching religious intolerance.

As a small group of protesters gathered recently outside the academy, less than 15 miles from the District, Fairfax officials were weighing what to do about the school's $2.2 million annual lease, which is signed by the Saudi Embassy and is "contingent upon" State Department approval. In May, the county Board of Supervisors extended the lease for another year, the fifth time it has been renewed since 1988, but Fairfax has since asked the State Department to determine whether the county should continue leasing the property to the school.

Fairfax spokeswoman Merni Fitzgerald said the county extended the school's lease until 2009 because "there seemed no reason not to" but decided to ask for State Department guidance after the commission report on the textbooks came out. "We're looking at this as a land use case," she said. "We're not capable of determining whether textbooks contain language that promotes violence."

She would not say what the county might do based on any State Department response, but she noted that the lease has a provision saying Fairfax can terminate the agreement if the board determines that is necessary for public "health, safety and welfare." The State Department has not responded to the county, and a department spokesman said late Friday that he was unfamiliar with the letter.

"The content of the books from Saudi Arabia has been a concern, and we have received assurances from the Saudi government that they would review and make changes to the textbooks in Saudi Arabia by the beginning of the 2008 school year," said the spokesman, Gonzalo Gallegos. "We will wait to see what changes have been made."

The debate is befuddling to many affiliated with the academy, which has a graduation rate of nearly 100 percent, sends students to prestigious colleges and trains U.S. soldiers in Arabic -- yet also counts among its alumni Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, a 1999 graduate convicted of plotting with al-Qaeda to kill President Bush.

Graduates said that the school taught respect for other religions and that teachers avoided controversial material. The academy has two campuses; the main one is on U.S. 1 south of Alexandria.

"It's just a normal school with one Islamic period during the day. I didn't get any hate teachings out of it or anything that was going to turn me into an extreme mood," said Fatima Abdallah, 29, a 1997 graduate.

Other students said material from the textbooks was sometimes taught in class, although it was unclear how often. "I'm not saying that there wasn't anything that said Islam is the best, everyone else is wrong," said Ahmet Sahin, 31, a 1994 graduate who has worked in Iraq and Kuwait as a Defense Department accounting contractor. "Every religion has that, but there wasn't any emphasis on violent jihad."

The Saudi ambassador to the United States is chairman of the school's board of directors, and the kingdom subsidizes expenses beyond the academy's $3,000 annual tuition for non-Saudi students. Saudi students attend free. Saudi officials said they have little day-to-day involvement in running the academy.

School administrators said teachers were told to keep any inflammatory material out of the classroom. "I taught for 15 years,'' said Dana Nicholas, assistant principal of the girls' school. "I would not have stayed if I thought that my students that were coming into my classroom and dealing with me every day, as a Christian, as a woman, if they were being taught this kind of thing in the Islamic class.''

She is one of numerous non-Muslim staff members at the academy, which was founded in 1984 on the grounds of an old Christian school in Fairfax and moved to the U.S. 1 campus in 1988. Saudi officials said the school was started to educate the children of Saudi diplomats and other Washington area Muslims who had difficulty finding Arabic and Islamic studies programs.

Saudi officials acknowledged that the controversial materials were in the school's Islamic studies textbooks until at least 2006. "We've always conceded there are problems with the textbooks,'' said one Saudi government source, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the textbook issue inside the kingdom. "There are some things that shouldn't be taught to children.''

Saudi officials said inflammatory material was gradually added to the kingdom's textbooks starting in the mid-1990s as religious hard-liners gained power in the kingdom's Education Ministry.

For example, an eighth-grade monotheism book from 2005-06 contains a Koranic verse about Allah turning people into apes and pigs. The textbook states in a footnote: "It is said: The apes are the people of the Sabbath, the Jews. The swine are the unbelievers of Jesus' table, the Christians."

In 2006, in reaction to a report criticizing the textbooks by the Center for Religious Freedom of Freedom House and the Institute for Gulf Affairs, the Saudi Embassy ordered changes, Saudi officials said.

In interviews last week at the main location -- a tree-shaded red-brick building with a small sign visible from the road that simply says "ISA" -- administrators said they worked day and night in summer 2006 to carry out the embassy's mandate. Divided into three committees, they revised textbooks by whiting out words, chopping out paragraphs and creating makeshift books. Because the process was hasty, they said, they missed some things, but they have continued the revisions during the past two years and plan to roll out a new line of books this fall.

Faridah Turkistani, the girls' school principal, said: "We were told [to take out] whatever is controversial. 'Think like an American, and if you feel like there is anything that will upset any nationality or any ethnicity or anything, you know, take it out.' ''

She spoke in a room near the school's entryway, where walls bear photographs of Saudi royal family members and Arabic inscriptions, along with a picture of an American flag. Bulletin boards in the school's hallways showcase student government, model United Nations and sports teams.

Another display depicts a veiled girl and a girl wearing a tank top and jeans. The Arabic at the top reads: "Your veil will protect you as the shell protects the pearl."

Even after the 2006 revisions, a 12th-grade Islamic studies textbook used in 2006-07 contained a reference to jihad as "the pinnacle of Islam" and said: "There is no security or stability except in strength and victory over the enemies. In martyrdom in the path of Allah is a type of honorable life."

Amin Bonnah, an assistant professor in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, said that jihad can have several meanings, including internal struggle, and that he read the passage "not as a call for jihad but as a call for fighting your enemies."

Bonnah, who reviewed Arabic passages from the academy's textbooks, said that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups would interpret that as fighting America and that the reference to martyrdom "means one thing: to kill for God. . . . Martyrdom is what they are doing in Iraq today or Gaza.''

Nina Shea, a commissioner at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, expressed concern that this and other passages could help radicalize students. Noting that 15 of the 19 hijackers in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were Saudi, she said, "Saudi Arabia, of all countries, needs to be quite clear about what's permitted in jihad and what isn't.''

She added that the school's efforts to revise the textbooks have fallen short. "They may have ripped out some pages, but we don't know what they ripped out and whited out, so it's difficult to make any comparisons," she said.

Charles Haynes, senior scholar for religious freedom at the First Amendment Center in the District, said the school "deserves credit for trying to clean up the textbooks. That's a big job, given the long history of these kinds of materials being used in Saudi Arabia. They made an effort. They probably need to do better."

Iranian TV Documentary analyzes the message embedded in "Fiddler on the Roof"

Aired on IRINN TV (Iran) - May 22, 2008 - 00:01:37






Narrator: The film "Fiddler on the Roof" tries to conceal one of the reasons for European and American hatred of Zionism, which was their control of the resources of wealth and power. The film depicts the Zionist immigrants' forefathers as kind and poor people, who immigrated out of poverty, and not out of a desire to occupy [Palestine].

From MEMRITV.org

"Will Israel Bomb Iran?" A BBC documentary about the dangers faced by Israel. (6 ten-minute segments)

(aggregated from Democast TV)

Pat Buchanan Advertises His Book On Neo-Nazi Radio Show

You read that right. On June 29th, MSNBC personality and three-time presidential candidate Pat Buchanan appeared on a neo-Nazi radio program to promote his new revisionist history of the Second World War, Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War: How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World. James Edwards is the host of the program "Political Cesspool," the stated mission of which is to "represent a philosophy that is pro-White." Edwards and his colleauges seek "to revive the White birthrate above replacement level fertility and beyond to grow the percentage of Whites in the world relative to other races" and believe that "Secession is a right of all people and individuals. It was successful in 1776 and this show honors those who tried to make it successful in 1865."

According to the researchers at the Anti-Defamation League, who listened to the show, Buchanan defended Charles Lindbergh, saying, "…his reputation has been blackened because of a single speech he gave and a couple of paragraphs in it where he said that … the Jewish community is beating the drums for war … but frankly, no one has said what he said was palpably untrue."
Buchanan is in good company. Perusing the guest list of Political Cesspool, one sees Willis Carto, (perhaps the most prominent anti-Semite in America), Mark Weber (Director of the Institute for Historical Review, a Holocaust denial outfit) and Jared Taylor, the editor of American Renaissance, a eugenicist publication. A political cesspool indeed. Calling Buchanan a "brownshirt" a few weeks ago may have seemed a little impertinent at the time, but it's entirely accurate.

As someone with an interest in the far-right and who has been following Buchanan's career for quite some time now, none of this is particularly surprising to me. What is surprising is that this man continues to fill airtime on MSNBC.

--James Kirchick
(h/t littlegreenfootballs.com)

A critique of Buchanan's book. ( The review mis-names the Einsatzgruppen)

Israel responds to Palestinian journalist's claim of mistreatment. Grievances investigated, found to be without foundation.

RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS REGARDING MOHAMMED OMER AL-MUGHAIER

(Communicated by the Israel Government Press Office)


In regard to recent media reports about Mohammed Omer al-Mughaier, security sources wish to state:

"Mr. Mohammed Omer al-Mughaier (hereinafter "the Complainant") arrived at the Allenby Crossing on Thursday, June 26, 2008. Due to suspicion that he had been in contact with hostile elements and had been asked by them to deliver items to Judea and Samaria, both he and his baggage were searched. In contradiction to his claims, at no time was the Complainant subjected to either physical or mental violence.

The investigation revealed that the search of his baggage was conducted in the presence of four people and not eight, as he noted. The search was conducted, according to regulations, in a public place and in the view and presence of the Complainant.

The body search, which took several minutes, took place in the presence of two security personnel (a policeman and an ISA official) and was conducted according to the relevant regulations. The Complainant's claims to the effect that he was threatened at gunpoint are baseless.

Regarding the Complainant's collapse, as it were, it should be noted that the paramedic who attended to him found no evidence of a physical cause of collapse. The Complainant's behavior raises doubts as to the sincerity of the situation. In any event, the Complainant was sent to an infirmary and an ambulance was ordered for him.

As to the Complainant's allegation that he was compelled to stand on his feet for twelve hours, we point out that according to our records, the Complainant arrived at the Allenby Crossing at approximately 11:00, and the entire incident ended at approximately 14:00. Thus, this claim is also baseless.

We should point out that there are numerous additional contradictions in the Complainant's allegations. For example, in the media he reported that he was humiliated, stripped and that a gun was held to his head. And yet, in his complaint filed with the IDF Spokesperson, the Complainant claimed that two uniformed personnel sprayed his face.

In conclusion, the Complainant's grievances were investigated and found to be without foundation. At no time was the Complainant subjected to either physical or mental violence; he was treated fairly. We can only regret that his allegations received publicity and a platform without being properly investigated."

Review of Bostom's book by NS Rajaram

It's a monumental study that throws light on the scriptural basis of intolerance and its manifestations in history,

says NS Rajaram in his review of The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism: From Sacred Texts to Solemn History by Andrew Bostom.

Review by NS Rajaram in The Daily Pioneer (India)


Islam, we are constantly told, is a religion of peace and brotherhood. According to this view, terrorists taking innocent lives in its name are either ignorant of the true teachings of Islam or are driven to violence as a last resort because of injustices suffered at the hands of the victims -- Hindus, Jews and Christians. This claim of scriptural innocence and the historical reality are examined in detail in the monumental work, The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism, by Andrew Bostom, the compiler of the equally monumental The Legacy of Jihad.


But first we must ask: Can we accept teachings and conduct in the name of religion that would be unacceptable on humanistic grounds? Quranic passages -- "When the sacred months are passed, kill those who join other gods with God (Allah) wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them with every kind of ambush..."; and, "Gather against them all your armies and your horses so you may strike terror in the hearts of the enemies of Allah and your enemies..." -- need to be reinterpreted.


The scope of The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism is broader than what the title suggests. It is better seen as a study of the theology and practice of intolerance than as a study limited to the persecution of Jews under Islamic rule. Unlike Hindus who encountered the full fury of Islam five centuries after its founding, Jews have had to deal with it right from the start in countries stretching from Spain to Iran. We thus have not only the authentic scripture of Islam but also abundant historical records by Jews, Christians and Muslims. These are presented in a systematic manner, allowing us to get a vivid picture of the treatment of non-Muslims.


These records make it clear that there is no middle ground in Islam, of a spirit of live and let live. In the words of the philosopher KD Prithipaul of the University of Alberta (conveyed to this reviewer), Muslims can live only "as an oppressive majority or a turbulent minority". Even the Indian Sufi Shayk-Ahmad Sirhindi wrote: "Whenever a Jew is killed it is for the benefit of Islam." This was long before the creation of Israel.


In spite of this vast and unambiguous record spanning over a thousand years, there is no shortage of 'liberal' intellectuals who extol the tolerance shown by Islam. Economist Amartya Sen wrote that when the "Jewish philosopher Maimonides was forced to emigrate from an intolerant Europe in the 12th century, he found a tolerant refuge in the Arab (Muslim) world". The truth is that the 'intolerant' Europe Maimonides had to flee happened to be Spain then under Berber Muslim rule, which, according to Foujad Ajami, "made the life of Spanish Jews... utter hell".


The depth of hatred for Jews that permeates the Islamic scriptures is truly staggering, but Moses Maimonides (1135-1204) noted also a parallel tendency for denial: "Never did a nation molest, degrade, debate and hate us as much as they (Muslims)... Although we were dishonoured by them beyond human endurance,... we have acquiesced, both old and young, to inure ourselves to humiliation." This could well have been written about Hindus, especially their modern prophets of 'secularism.'


As part of this denial, Jews themselves joined hands with some apologist scholars to create the myth of a 'Golden Age' of Spain under Islamic rule. Jane Gerber explodes this myth: "The aristocratic bearing of a select class of courtiers and poets, however, should not blind us to the reality that this tightly knit circle of leaders was neither the whole of the Jewish history nor of Spanish Jewish society." This applies equally to the myth of India's 'Golden Age' under the Mughals with its 'synthetic culture' propagated by secularist historians.


Academic whitewashers of the Islamic record like Amartya Sen have now been joined by a brand of 'moderate' Muslims who claim that the extreme Wahaabi brand of Islam in force in countries like Saudi Arabia is a deviation from the true teachings. A prime example of these is Ed Husain, a reformed British radical Muslim and author of The Islamist. These 'moderates' are lionised by the establishment, especially in Britain. The same establishment, on the other hand, shuns serious critics like Ibn Warraq and the late Anwar Shaikh who raise uncomfortable questions.


A curious thing about these so-called moderates is that they live in open non-Islamic societies like the UK, the US and India where they enjoy the protection of democratic Governments. Their message of moderation is for public consumption and never taken to those who really need it -- the fundamentalists who rule Saudi Arabia, the Taliban, Al Qaeda and their ilk. In effect, they are little more than apologists.


The message to these 'moderates' is -- lip service is not enough. They must take a forthright stand and play an active role in reforming the Islam. All other religions -- Hinduism included -- have reformed themselves and continue to do so.

In summary, The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism leaves little doubt that intolerance and violence are not a recent phenomenon due to Israel or Ayodhya or anything else, but only the latest phase in a theology and history that goes back 1,400 years. It is an indispensable source for every serious student of religion, especially of Islam and its history.

A Trip Across Israel in Real Time

Filmed by Judith Weiss
Concept, driving and narration by Steve Dzik
Backseat driving by Mary Madigan

During his trip to Israel last year, when the nation was celebrating its 59th birthday, Steve came up with the idea of filming the drive across the entire width of Israel from the West Bank wall to the Mediterranean Sea.

The drive took less than twenty minutes, about the time it takes the average American to commute to work. This demonstrates how small and vulnerable Israel is.


aggregated from solomonia.com