Nazi Propaganda for the Arab World (27 page)

On September 25, Berlin in Arabic went even further in associating Nazism with Islam and both with opposition to British imperialism. The broadcast attributed to Sir Samuel Hoare, the British ambassador to Spain, the view that "the danger of Nazism is more menacing than the danger from the heathen of the Middle Ages." In stating this, Hoare "openly slandered Islam and the Moslems. He called Moslems heathens." The station found it rather significant that Hoare "classed Nazism and Islam together as a menace." It assured Hoare that Islam would "remain a menace to Britain as much as it was in the time of the Caliphs of the Middle Ages." Moreover, Britain regarded "any country fight ing for independence" as a menace to her. "We share the opinion of Samuel Hoare that both Nazism and Islam are a menace to the British Empire because the British Empire is based upon exploiting, enslaving and robbing other peoples. 166 The broadcast assumed that the linkage between Nazism and its understanding of Islam was a point of pride.

On October 13, the Arab Nation stressed that there could be "no cooperation between Arabs and Jews" in Palestine. "The difference between the Arabs and the Jews is not a superficial one, it is a deep-rooted difference in the aim of each. Therefore, there is no hope of cooperation between Jews and Arabs." The Arabs had been "the real owners of Palestine ... for thousands of years." If Jewish claims in Palestine were "well founded, then the Arabs can claim that they have a right to Spain and the Red Indians to America." The Arabs would refuse any sort of cooperation with the Jews, "the parasites who have been expelled from their own countries." In their continuing "fight and struggle to get rid of the Jews," they would "not hesitate to use every means at their disposal." Further, "the Arabs despise every person making propaganda for Arab-Jewish cooperation. They consider him a traitor to the cause and to the fatherland."167 Refusal of any compromise on the Palestine issue was another logical outcome of the intertwining of political and religious themes in Axis propaganda.

Throughout October, Axis radio continued to pour forth a flood of anti-Semitic and anti-American vitriol. On October 14, Berlin in Arabic discussed "America and Imperialism." It asserted that: America was the "fatherland of the Jews" and "the classical country of capitalism"; Moscow was "a Jewish center"; "London, Moscow, and Washington" were "helping the Jews in Arab countries"; and U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles was "the Jewish agent at the White House." 168 On October i9, Berlin in Arabic attacked Chaim Weizmann: "Perhaps this despicable usurer is hoping that the Arabs of Palestine will leave their country to the Jews. But just wait, dirty Jew, Palestine will remain a pure Arab country as it has always been. It is you and your dirty relatives who will be kicked out, and this will come about by the grace of God. 11169 At 10:15 p.m. that same evening, VFA broadcast "The Jewish Threat." Weizmann was still "living in his old dream of establishing a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic countries." A victory in the war by the Bolsheviks, Americans, and British would "mean a Jewish victory which will be disastrous to the world." The Jews were "hoping for an Allied victory to realize their claims on other countries. They are even serving the British as spies." Fortunately, the Allies were suffering defeat after defeat. "The first result of defeating the Imperialists will be the liberation from Jewish atrocities. We are sure that all Arabs realize that by destroying the Bolsheviks, the Americans and the British they are extirpating the supporters of the Jews." 10 These linkages between Jew-hatred and anti-imperialism remained an enduring theme of German broadcasts throughout the war. On the following evening, VFA, in a commentary on "American Greed," simply stated that America was "a Jewish country." It referred to the BBC as "the London Jewish broadcasting station" and informed its audience that the "Almighty has inspired the whole world to stand firm and united against your [British and American] tyranny and he will stop you and your friends the Jews, your Bolshevik beasts and your American idiots from making the world suffer." Moreover, something called "the whole Arab nation" was united against the Allies. 171

On October 22, VFA concluded that "the Americans are worse than the British." It regretfully noted that there were still some Arabs who believed that the Americans were just and peaceful, respected the rights of smaller nations, especially the Arab nations, and would offer the Muslims freedom and sovereignty if they won the war. "In fact, the Americans are not only as dangerous as the British but even more so." Listeners needed to remember that "the Jews have a big influence in American circles, even more so than in the case of the British Empire." Roosevelt was their tool. Cordell Hull had "dared to threaten the Vichy Government for the severe measures which it has taken against the Jews, who were the cause of the collapse of France." In fact, "the Americans regard with deep sympathy the cause of the Jews." The Arabs must not be deceived by British promises or "American intrigues." Rather they needed to keep in mind that if the democracies, including America, were to win the war, it would "mean the victory of the Jews and the annihilation of the Arabs." 172 The specter of"an- nihilation" as a result of a "victory of the Jews" was an echo in Arabic of a constant refrain German propaganda aimed at its home audience.

Axis radio was pleased to report good news, yet it was silent about Axis defeats. On October 2,1942, Berlin in Arabic reported that General Erwin Rommel's presence during a speech by "the Fi hrer" in Berlin had "created a great wave of pleasure amongst all classes of the Egyptian population" who could hear "the ovations by which Rommel's entrance was met." 13 But Axis radio had little to report on the events of late October when the British Eighth Army launched a surprise attack on the German base at El Alamein and, after twelve days of heavy fighting and losses, crushed the Panzerarmee. Only a small pro portion of Rommel's forces were able to escape capture, and they were pushed back toward Tripoli. By late January 1943, the Eighth Army entered Tripoli, one thousand miles to the west of El Alamein. The Axis threat to Egypt was over. Italy lost the last parts of its African empire, and, in Gerhard Weinberg's laconic phrase, "the Mufti could no longer expect to return to Jerusalem in Rommel's baggage car" 14 On November 8,1942, American and British troops participating in Operation Torch surprised the Germans and Italians when they landed on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of French Northwest Africa and overcame initial resistance from forces loyal to Vichy France. On November 10, German forces landed in Tunisia. The focus of attention shifted away from Egypt to a looming battle for Tunisia.175 Axis Arabic radio said nothing about the defeat at El Alamein and precious little about the Allied landings in Northwest Africa.

In lieu of hard news, Axis stations continued to broadcast inflammatory stories. On October 27, Athens in Arabic attacked America in "Imperialist and Dollar America." America was "the country of the dollar and is dominated by the Jews" who gave orders to the president, dominated the press, and were the cause of World War II. Their aim was "to dominate the world." They made Roosevelt do what they wished. All of Roosevelt's diplomats in the Middle East were Jews. "The victory of Washington means the victory of the Jews and the crushing of the Arabs." 16 On October 30, Bari in Arabic reported that Jews in Palestine "welcomed the American forces with joy and enthusiasm." At a reception near Jaffa, they entertained 50o American officers. "Whisky was plentiful as water in a river. After the officers had indulged in drinking, speeches were made stressing the ties existing between the people of the U.S.A. and the Jews." A message from Roosevelt himself, expressing his appreciation for the help the Jews had given the Allies, was read. "No wonder the Jews make so much fuss of the Americans because this is really a Jewish war. In this war there are two camps, the British and the French, who let the Jews play fast and loose in their own countries, and the Germans and Italians who revolted against Jewish domination." The United States, which "had no reason whatsoever to get involved in this war was finally driven to it by those hirelings of the Jews. "177 That same evening, the Arab Nation devoted a broadcast to a denunciation of the Balfour Declaration. "s A program on VFA expressed worry because the Jews were receiving support not only from Britain, but from the Americans and the Bolsheviks as well. Unfortunately, the Americans and Roosevelt were "more capable than the British in realizing the demands of the Jews, and the American dictator Roosevelt proved to be most interested in the ambitions of the Jews. In regard to the Bolsheviks, it suffices to mention that the Jews are the real controllers of Russia." 179

In November, Axis radio's response to the Allied landings in Africa was to attack the Jews. On November 8, the Arab Nation denounced "New Aggression by the Anglo-Saxons on the Arab Moslem Countries" and offered a Nazi interpretation of recent German history. Germany, with a population of 8o million, was "not able to cope with Jewish treachery during the last great war [World War I]. The Jews were responsible for the German defeat." After Germany "got rid of the Jewish influence," it was able to "live freely" and "became a leader of the great nations." The broadcast then asked what would happen to Algiers and Morocco. "How will they cope with the Jews?" Fortunately, "God is quite near, so prepare yourselves for final victory."180 On the evening of November ii, Bari in Arabic called for "Arab Unity against the Anglo-Saxons." It obliquely referred to the Allied landings when it acknowledged that "Roosevelt's new campaign in North Africa has a dangerous significance [which] every Arab should recognize." By helping the Axis, the Arabs would be gaining "independence and freedom from the Anglo-Americans and the Jews ... the common enemy." 181

Later that evening, Bari in Arabic carried a report about a speech that Husseini delivered at the German Embassy in Rome to commemorate Arab martyrs and appeal to Arabs to take a "stand in this war against the British and the Jews." British victory, he was reported to have said, would mean "defeat of the Arabs but also destruction of Arabism because the Jews intended to establish their National Home not only in Syria, Lebanan, Transjordan and Egypt but also throughout all the neighboring Arab countries." That was why "the Arabs must struggle against the British and the Jews, the deadliest enemies of Islam, shoulder to shoulder with the Axis."182 On November 14, Bari in Arabic broadcast a speech by Husseini. The Mufti pointed with pride to the fact that "before this war broke out and before the Axis had risen against British and Jewish greed ... the Arab nation" had "struggled against greed for over twenty years." He recalled the martyrs who died "in the battles of glory." Though recalling them "brings pain to our hearts," he said, their blood "is like the water which gives life to the dead plants." The result of the war meant a great deal to the Arabs. If Britain were to win, "the Jews will rule our countries and will deprive the Arabs of their freedom and independence. The Allies will hand over many of our lands to the Jews." Palestine would be "only a first step to the formation of a Jewish nation" that would include Jordan "and all the other Arab countries as far as Morocco." Conversely, if Britain were defeated, "the Jewish nation would be thwarted, and this means that we should be relieved of the biggest danger which threatens us." With the invasion, the Americans had "brought many troubles to the Arabs of North West Africa," including "the Jewish danger." For Husseini, World War II was a continuation of the struggle in the Arab countries that long preceded its outbreak.183

Following the Allied landings, Hitler was still hoping to drive the Allies out of North Africa, ideally with the help of anti-Jewish sentiment among the Arab population. 181 On November 16, Berlin in Arabic reported that the "chief rabbi of the Jewish community in Egypt" had "given orders to all Jews to celebrate the victory of the British and Americans in North Africa. Parties have been held and Jewish songs sung." It claimed that Jews in North Africa were the first to celebrate the American landings. They knew "that the Americans invaded North Africa chiefly to help the Jews and to give them new territories. 11185 On November 18, Berlin in Arabic asserted that Jews oppressed North Africa's Arabs. The Jews "welcomed Allied aggression even more than the Americans and British themselves," for the "Jewish aim is to encircle the Arabs. The real danger of the Allied aggression is the Jews. All the Arabs should know that the victory of the Allies means the victory of the Jews, and that the defeat of the Allies means the defeat of the Jews. He who wants to defeat the Jews should fight the Allies and defeat them." 186 On November 21, VFA asserted, "Since the days of Mohammed, the Jews have been hostile to Islam. The Arabs know what they did to the Prophet and they know that God saved him from their evil works.... Hatred of Islam and of the Arabs is the main reason for the desire of the Jews to have Palestine for their own and if they take Palestine they will be in a good position to secure dominion over the other Arab countries." The Jews, it continued, wished "to wipe out the Arabs and Islam." Unable to do so on their own, "the Jews became the Allies of Britain." 187 German propaganda presented Zionism as the most recent chapter in a supposed ancient Jewish animus against the religion of Islam.

On November 25, Bari in Arabic reported that Husseini, always referred to as the Grand Mufti" or "the Grand Mufti of Palestine;" had said that the "invasion of North Africa by the Anglo-Saxons was the forerunner of Jewish domination of the country;" and that"the Jews were the prime movers of America's entry into this war." The Algerians, he continued, understood that "the present calamity to their country," that is, the Allied victories over German and Italian forces, "was brought about by the Jews whose only desire is to extort all the wealth of the countries." Husseini emphasized that "the Arabs should do their utmost to fight the Jews who are helped by the Anglo-Saxons. "188 The next evening, Husseini spoke on Berlin in Arabic to say that "American aggression in North Africa did not come to us as a surprise. In carrying it out, they were only providing the Jews with fresh pastures." The Jews had "wanted the world war so they could profit from it." The Americans would "try to make the Arabs the slaves of the Jews." i 89