Arab Uprisings, Ethnic Minorities & A New Jewish Diaspora?

In theory, the concept of diversifying and unifying Arab populations along religious and ethnic lines is a positive vision for a new Middle East.

Exiled Arab Jews such as David Gerbi  - a Libyan by birth – believes that with a genuine desire to, the Arab uprisings has posed opportunities for Arab citizens to establish pluralistic environment to foster a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society with equal rights which is conducive for Arab Jews to return.

But putting the Jewish question aside, the revolutions and uprisings should be giving hope to religious and ethnic minorities for political, social and economic reforms to provide a new lease of life in a liberal democracy and releasing them from long endured persecution and institutional discrimination. Copts, for example, who make-up 10% of 80 million population in Egypt, have expressed how they now feel threatened by the Arab uprising with the tide of Islamism dominating the newly elected government in Egypt. Copts were once united with their Muslims counterparts in the popular movement to overthrow Hosni Mubarak but the relations between the two did not last. In the past year sectarian violence and violence against Copts by the military and police has heightened anxieties about the future that Copts and other minorities could be facing.Coming back to the Jewish debate, in addition to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Arab minorities, Gerbi’s experience of resistance from some Libyans in Tripoli reiterates that change for liberal democracies does not necessarily translate into changes in attitude towards Jews or minorities in general. This notion is evident through a study by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry in Israel which has revealed an increase in anti-Semitism during the uprisings.

The current reality in the Arab world fails to breed optimism for changes to the lives of existing religious and ethnic minorities. Therefore, a radical change as a re-emergence of a Jewish Diaspora, even as minority in Arab nations, is a bit far-fetched. However, this should not purport to undermine Gerbi’s romanticised desire to return to his rightful home or for that of any other Jew of Arab origin. In theory, the concept of diversifying and unifying Arab populations along religious and ethnic lines is a positive vision for a new Middle East. But practically this vision is only possible if existential anti-Semitic attitudes and subjugation of ethnic and religious minorities cease to exist. Evidently such changes are not going to diminish anytime soon.

Tagged Anti-Semitism, Arab Jews, Arab Spring, Copts, Egypt, Israel, Jewish Diaspora, Libya