THE MIDDLE EAST and the MIDDLE EASTERN CONFLICTS

THE MIDDLE EAST and the MIDDLE EASTERN CONFLICTS MAREK ČEJKA

Middle East or Near East?

„The Greater Middle East“

Umayyad CALIPHATE (661 - 750)

Ottoman Empire

„The Greater Middle East“ and Islam

Distorted and emotional view of the Middle East - Not only the public but also experts have a distorted view of the conflict. Several different reasons: n 1. superficiality in the information about the Middle East provided by the media – only the bloodiest, most tragical events are reported on but not regular life. - The propaganda from all the sides of the conflict has an influence on the media.

2. Prejudices and stereotypes n Against Muslims (Islamophobia) and Arabs (anti-Arabism) – especially after 9/11 Posílení po 11. září 2001 n Against Jews (anti-Semitism) and against Israel (anti-Zionism) Misunderstanding of terms like "anti-Semitism", "anti-Zionism", "anti-Judaism" and "anti-Israelism"

Specific issues of the Czech (and the East-European) view: Recent (Communist) past until 1989 Czech (and many Eastern-European) communist governments uncritically supported some Arab states which were allied to the Soviet Bloc (e. g. Syria, Iraq, Palestine) and condemned the "imperialist" Israel and Western allies in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc. ). n An ideologically distorted view of the Middle East (contrary to West Europe) n

n after 1989 (the fall of Communism) the views and the policies in regard to the Middle East were diametrically overturned – this turning was reflected by many Czechs and Slovaks: what was previously seen as "Good" came to be seen as "Bad", and vice versa (e. g. now Israel was seen as purely good, while Palestinians were viewed as a nation of terrorists); n Black/White turned into White/Black;

n n n in fact the Middle East is not and never has been Black/White but the situation is rather more complicated; the contemporary complicated situation is due to various different reasons (internal tensions, the policies of the UK and France since WW 1, the policies of the USA and the USSR since 1945, . . . ); for understanding the Middle East the simplified, distorted or Black/White sources of information are not sufficient; a distorted or emotional view of the conflict is acceptable only in cases of person who are personally connected to it (e. g. Jews, Holocaust survivors, Muslims); but such a view is unacceptable when it is expressed by politicians, experts, political scientists, diplomats, etc.

Middle Eastern Conflict or Conflicts? n n n n Israeli-Palestinian - since 1948 (1920) Israeli-Arab (since 1948) Conflicts in Persian Gulf (since 1990, 2003) Conflict in Lebanon (1975 – 1990) Conflict between Muslim States, Civil Wars (Jordan, Yemen, Iraq vs. Iran etc. ) Afghanistan (XIX. – XXI. Century) The Kurdish Question

The Middle Eastern Conflicts: Many differences but also many Common Things In most of the cases are not religious conflict but TERRITORIAL – NATIONALIST conflicts n Religion started to play key role not since their beginning but later n They do not have roots in ancient times but emerged in XIX. or XX. century (they are NOT since „Biblical“ or „immemorial“ times) n Most of them are connected with activities of the Western Superpowers (especially GB, FR, later USSR, USA, Israel) – tactics of divide et impera („divide and conquer“) n

For more see: http: //blizky-vychod. blogspot. com Marek´s books: n n n Judaism and politics in Israel (2002, 2009) Israel and Palestine (2005) Encyclopedia of the Middle Eastern Terrorism (2007) Rabbis of our Time (2010, co-author) History of Modern Israel (2011)