MIDDLE EAST
By Michelle Woodward, 09/16/2001
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Certainly the primary theme that has emerged from my reading of the press from the Middle East (at least that which appears in English on the internet) is that of universal condemnation of the 11 September attacks. Iraq is the only country that has not officially done so. The World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks are seen as a world problem, not only a U.S. one. Muslim clerics and people on the street have been unanimous in saying that terrorism is unacceptable in Islam and that these attacks have nothing to do with their faith. Words of sympathy and gestures of condolences to the people of the United States by ordinary folks as well as by political and religious leaders have been covered by the local media more extensively than by the US media. Across the region there is concern with how the United States will respond. Although many countries have pledged their support of U.S. retaliation, there are some common worries about the consequences. By becoming actively supportive of U.S. actions, Middle Eastern statesĒ diplomatic ties with countries that the U.S. considers sponsors of terrorism (like Syria, Iraq, and Iran) will suffer. Since it is still unclear who the U.S. intends to target, some countries allied with the U.S. may find themselves behind an attack against a state with whom they otherwise share important political and economic ties. At the same time, becoming a closer ally with the United States is commonly seen as tacit support of Israel. This is an extremely sensitive issue since Israel maintains a military occupation over the Palestinians which most other Middle Eastern countries oppose. Many newspapers also report concerns that a military response will not address the root cause of the attacks. There are calls for the U.S., after the period of shock and mourning has passed, to cultivate a better understanding of the Middle East region and the social inequities and despair that breed terrorism. The message is that U.S. foreign policy should be re-examined, especially the strong economic, military and moral support of Israel. There is certainly a range of opinion, but many people believe that Israel exerts great influence over U.S. foreign policy at the very real expense of Palestinian lives. Jordanian and Lebanese press reports express the hope that the U.S. will not pull back from the Middle East, but will become even more actively engaged in the attempt to find peaceful and just solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Some press reports bring out country-specific issues. The Iran Daily is critical of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and urges a distinction be made between these rulers and the Afghani people who deserve sympathy. Some opinion writers in Turkey are concerned that the increased focus on terrorism and security issues will override important gains made towards further democratization domestically. The Jordan Times has criticized the U.S. media for emphasizing the video footage of a small group of Palestinians celebrating the attacks at the expense of the much more commonly expressed sentiment of compassion and grief. Note: I used the various Middle Eastern news websites listed below to compile this general summary of opinions. Middle East (in English) News Sites Most have opinion pieces and editorials which illuminate the Arab and Middle East perspective, some will also summarize the Arabic press. Many have reports that do not get picked up by the U.S. media.
Historical and Cultural Information on the Middle East
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