Scapegoating Israel for the Arab World’s Problems

It was only a matter of time before Israel was blamed for the Arab world’s unrest. I’m not surprised that one mainstream paper gave a wonk a soapbox to argue just that. See HonestReporting Canada’s response to the Toronto Star’s tosh, which told readers:

Many Arab leaders . . . are perceived as, intentionally or not, complicit in Israeli occupation, weak in standing up to Israeli actions – thereby striking another blow at the Arab need for dignity.

This reality explains the popularity of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, who through his words and war machine against Israel provides Arabs with the dignity that most of their leaders have failed to deliver. This kind of “outward” dignity regarding an enemy trumps the need for internal dignity because, in the Arab world, the needs of the group supersede those of the individual.