Egypt poll: Israel, Denmark, US - enemies

[ECH1969]

It's been 27 years since the Camp David accords were signed, but the vast majority of Egyptians still see Israel as an enemy state. A poll conducted by an Egyptian state institute determined that Israel and Denmark were not only the least poplar foreign countries among the Egyptian public, but that they were also considered enemy nations.

The poll, made public on Wednesday, showed that 92 percent of respondents see Israel as an enemy – despite the lasting peace agreement between the two countries. Only two percent believe that Israel is "a friend to Egypt."

But Israel shouldn't feel lonely on the enemy shelf – 60 percent of respondents say that Denmark is an enemy of the Egyptian Republic. A view which likely stems from Muslim rage over the publication of caricatures of the prophet Muhammad

Coming in third on the most-hated list is the United States, 50 percent of respondents said they saw America as an enemy of Egypt.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3322428,00.html

[Lefta Dissenter]

1. I'm very glad

that my son came home from Egypt. He went to school in Cairo last year, and he said that by the time he left, he could feel the tone toward Americans changing.

[pitohui]

2. a friend just visited cairo

he says that everyone there was reaching out and trying to tell him "you know, everyone doesn't think like that"

however, my friend is rich, and i can't help but think that rich people are welcome everywhere

would love to know the truth and tried to get invited along on another trip but haven't quite succeeded yet, will update when i do

[onager]

3. I've spent the last year in Egypt

Mostly in Alexandria or nearby, some time in Cairo. I'm still here.

For the record, I'm certainly not rich. I'm a field engineer with an aerospace company.

The Egyptians I talk to draw a very clear line between Americans in general (whom they like) and our government (which they despise).

Alexandria has suffered thru two big riots since I've been here, one of them just a few blocks from my hotel. Neither of those riots were anti-American. They were religious in nature, between the Muslims and Coptic Xians. (Also for the record, I'm an atheist.)

This poll also claimed Saudi Arabia was "number one" on the nations loved by Egyptians. That raised my eyebrows. I hear a lot of complaining about the Saudis from Egyptians, including accusations that rich Gulf Arabs are financing the more extreme Egyptian religio-political groups...like the "banned-but-tolerated" Muslim Brotherhood. The MB was very accurately described in one (American) article as "Al Queda 1.0." The same groups are also blamed for fomenting those riots I mentioned earlier.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. I have to ask you something.

You say: "The Egyptians I talk to draw a very clear line between Americans in general (whom they like) and our government (which they despise)."

Is this the same for Israel?

If you you don't know that is cool, but I have read many of your posts about your time in Egypt and thought maybe you might be able to shed some light. Thanks!

[onager]

9. That's a complex issue...

As I'm sure you know.

Uh...here, would you like a nice big waffle? :-)

Thanks for the mention of my other posts. I hope they occasionally make sense but have my doubts.

I'll try to answer your question, but keep in mind that I can only repeat what I hear or read in the local press. This whole region shares a sad, painful and complex history, and I'm really hesitant to go shooting off my mouth--or keyboard--about it.

But to be truthful, I very rarely hear Egyptians say anything good about Israel, the nation and political entity. I hear an amazing number of people claim that the Mossad was behind the 9/11 attacks, using remote-controlled aircraft. (Of course, I can read the same nonsense here on DU, over in the conspiracy groups.)

Having said that, I also have to add that I've spoken with many Egyptians who seem to separate Israel, their sworn enemy, from the Jewish people in general.

One of the better experiences I've had was a long talk with an Egyptian military officer who is a history buff (like me). He said something like: "I still can't understand how the world allowed the Holocaust to happen. What happened to the Jews was so horrible, it's hard for me to imagine, even when I see the evidence in films and photographs. The world has to make sure nothing like that ever happens again."

A sort of funny note. We trained some Egyptians at our facility in Los Angeles. When they got a hankering for food that was halal--allowed under Muslim dietary laws--they would go to the nearest kosher Jewish deli.

Another funny thing in a recent newspaper article. Some Egyptian legislators want to ban Egyptians from going into Israel to work. Since the coutries share a border along the Sinai, this is a fairly common practice.

As I read this article, I wondered: why would they want to keep Egyptians from working? Unemployment is a huge and chronic problem in Egypt, and it's very common for Egyptians to go work in other countries.

The article eventually made it clear why the esteemed legislators didn't want Egyptians straying into Israel. They're afraid of Egyptians marrying Israelis. Apparently this happens often enough to put the collective panties of the legislature into a big twist.

Hmm. As I've said before, I'm an atheist. The simple fact that people from such different backgrounds could fall in love and WANT to get married gives me some dim hope for the human race. Of course, that hope was immediately dashed by reading the bloviatings of the asshat politicians who are trying to stop it.

I guess I've rambled enough. I don't think I answered your question, but I'm not sure I can. Thanks for asking anyway!

[Behind the Aegis]

15. Thank you very much!

Having a personal perspective adds much to the equation. Currently, I don't have an Egyptian friends, only Lebanese and Palestinian ones. Your information was very helpful and I thank you for taking the time to answer my question so thoroughly. It is much appreciated!

[Habibi]

7. Way off-topic, onager, but I don't suppose we could persuade

you to keep a DU journal about your experience in Eqypt? I'm fascinated by the country and hope to visit one day.

[onager]

10. That's very nice of you to ask...

But I'm afraid the answer has to be: "Not while I'm still over here." You can probably figure out why not.

Your screen name sort of gives me a hint that you like Egypt. :-)

I hope you visit one day, too. This certainly is a fascinating country. And I'm in one of the most fascinating cities, Alexandria. Unfortunately, Alex lags way behind other attractions like Giza and Aswan. That's a shame. It's a kick to know you're walking the same streets as Alexander The Great, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony. Not to mention more modern celebrities like E.M. Forster and Lawrence Durrell.

Alexandria also had an encounter with a 19th-century version of Donald Rumsfeld--the British Admiral Seymour. In 1882, to quell a nationalist riot, Admiral Seymour's gunboats fired right into Muhammad Ali Plaza, one of Alexandria's most popular gathering places.

Seymour then cabled London that he was very careful, and made sure all his shells were fired "with pin-point accuracy."

If he was telling the truth, Seymour sure must have hated British diplomats. One of his pin-pointedly accurate shells destroyed the Briitish Consulate.

:rofl:

[Habibi]

11. Rats! But I do understand.

Yeah, I've been studying ME dance, raks sharqi/raqs beledi, for about 5 years now. Eqypt is my Mecca, even though dancing women are looked upon disapprovingly over there, to say the least. Unless they're really famous, of course.

:hi:

OP: Sorry for the hijack!

[fujiyama]

5. Hate Denmark

because they allow the freedom to publish offensive cartoons?

What a bunch of fucking idiots. Their mentality is so childish.

[Hard_Work]

12. Thank you

Could not for the life of me figure out why anyone would consider Denmark an enemy nation. Forgot about the Mohammed cartoons.

But, Denmark?!?!?

[saigon68]

14. I've been to Copenhagen its a neat place

They stood up to the Nazis in WW2

http://www.auschwitz.dk/docu/Default.htm

Amidst the madness of war, there are moments of hope and illumination. In World War II, one such instance was the Danish Jews’ escape from Hitler’s genocidal plan to eradicate all Jews from Europe.

Risking their own lives, the Danes quickly rallied round to save their fellow citizens, and almost all of the country's Jews were able to escape the clutches of the Nazis and find refuge in neutral Sweden.

The rescue of the Danish Jews is an inspiring story from a terrible time in human history. In most other Nazi-occupied countries, the Germans found it easy to deport the Jews. No one defended them the way the Danes did.

Almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark was rescued and survived the war years, mostly in neutral Sweden and a few hundred in the KZ camp Theresienstadt under the distant but constantly protective concern of the Danes.

[geek tragedy]

6. Denmark an 'enemy' nation?

What a bunch of whiny ass titty babies.

[ECH1969]

13. yup

[The Stranger]

8. Another interesting post, ECH1959.

The Peace seems to hold, and it is in everyone's best interest. I assume that you are in support of the peace between Israel with Egypt?