WHY some Muslims resent Westerners and Israelis?

Question

WHY some Muslims resent Westerners and Israelis?

explain some historical events that may have led up to the current state of affairs in much of the Muslim world.

Answer 1

1. Islam believes it is the most advanced form of religion. As Thomas Friedman explains, Muslims see Judaism as Religion version 1.0, Christianity as Religion 2.0, and Islam is (in their opinion) Religion 3.0. If that is the case, then the Islamic world should be more advanced and successful than the rest of the world, but for the past 400 years or so, the West (including Israel) has defeated Islam in every major battle, and is clearly more powerful, more wealthy, and more successful. This creates confusion and resentment, and jealousy among many Muslims.

2. There is conflict within Islam (as in other religions), between modernity and tradition. The West is the source of these new, uncomfortable ideas, which challenge the old ways. This fosters resentment against the West.

3. The Crusades are remembered and resented in the Muslim world as Christian attacks on Islam. (The Europeans were attacking to recover previously Christian dominated areas that had been occupied by Muslim invaders.)

4. Western occupation of Muslim lands in the past 100-200 years has contributed to their resentment. Although the West no longer occupies Muslim lands, the act of occupation brought the Western world into close, recent contact, initiating or exacerbating factors #1 and #2.

5. The resettlement of Jews in their ancient homeland, with the creation of a sovereign Jewish State in an area previous dominated by Muslims has obviously created resentment for cultural ("we don't want any foreigners in our area with their newfangled, immoral ways") and religious ("once a region has become Muslim it must remain Muslim") reasons. It has nothing to do with "occupied territories" or the Palestinian refugees, because the local Arabs were hostile even before Israel was established, before Palestinians became refugees, and before there were "occupied territories." The West's role in the creation of Israel and America's role in supporting Israel is resented, but it is by no means the only, or even the major, reason for Muslim hostility. (If the US stopped supporting Israel it would not win us any more friends in the Arab world, and in fact would do us harm. Considering that many Arabs in the Middle East already believe Jews control the US government, if America turned its back on Israel, Arab governments would be terrified we would do the same to them. If you turn your back on your closest friends, how much more might you betray your not-so-close friends?)

6. Bin Laden's "chief complaint" at the time of 9/11/01 was that US forces were present on Saudi Arabian soil. Saudi is the location of Islam's 2 holiest sites, and the presence of infidels "polluted" the holy ground.

Answer 2

It has very little to do with history and more to do with cultural characteristics. It seems to me that some Muslims are raised to hate and resent; rather than to learn and experience.

They also, and they are not the only ones, seem to need a scapegoat on whom to blame all of their problems. For example, the Palestinians: most left Israel when the UN recognized that state, based on the promises of their Arab neighbors that they, the Arab neighbors, would support them and assist them in killing all the Jews, i.e. the Israelis. Well, that didn't happen; so for the last 60 years many, but not all, Palestinians have been living in squalor in refugee camps on handouts from the rest of the world and bemoaning their fate.

In the same situation, which is what they were in when the state of Israel was first formed, the Jews would have started schools, built hospitals, founded universities, opened stores, developed trade, in short, built a society, which is what they did. Oh, they also developed a kick a s s government and armed services as recent history has shown.

Of course some Muslims resent Israelis; the Israelis are constant reminders to them of their many, many failures.

I think Muslims resent Westerners, in particular Americans, for the same reason everyone does. We are untrustworthy, boorish, xenophobic, ignorant, and domineering. Of course, we (Americans) have always been staunch friends to the Israelis, and that has to rankle. In the beginning, with Harry Truman, because it was the right thing to do; now, because we need them.

Answer 3

This subject was studied for almost a year . WHY???? The conclusion was that the hatred towards the west is because radical Islam basicly has taken the Islamic nations back to the stone age . For the following reasons. Countries like Syria,Iraq,Iran, Afganastan, Pakistan and many more the people no longer think for themselves. They suffer from compulsive conformity.Stereotype thinking . Social Agression .Total lack of insight. At a drop of a hat they take to the streets. I hope you now understand the problem .

Answer 4

Hi
Why do Muslims hate westerners?Well,first of all Muslims don't hate people from western countries only.They can't accept any religion as true religion other then theirs so they consider every one else to be nonbelievers in one true god hence everyone else other then them is a heretic.They hate Hindus,Buddhists etc too.
Actually, What they believe is this that every thing needed by human beings to lead a pure life is described in Koran(holy book) which according to Islam is the true word of god.And which in it self is not only a book on how lead a good life but it tells them about politics also.So they can not believe in democracy,because there is no word or definition for it in sharia(law according to Koran).

Answer 5

Have you ever read the story of Abraham? Abraham had 2 sons 1 from a slave Ishmael and 1 from his wife Issac. After Issac was born Sarah made Abraham send away the slave Hagar and Ishmael to die in the desert. Well God led them to a well and made a promise to them. He also told Abraham that until the time came for his reign on earth there would be fighting between them. As too why they hate Westerners its mostly because we support Israel and the way we live. Our celebrities live such wholesome examples for us. The story of Abraham can be found in Genesis 21. i site this because both Muslims and Jewish peoples site this as the very beginning of the war

Answer 6

For an insight into Muslim views, read what former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said recently in an interview with Spiegel magazine:

"SPIEGEL: You also mentioned the hatred for the United States throughout the Arab world which has ensued as a result of the invasion of Iraq. Given this circumstance, does it come as any surprise that Washington's call for democracy in the Middle East has been discredited?

Carter: No, as a matter of fact, the concerns I exposed have gotten even worse now with the United States supporting and encouraging Israel in its unjustified attack on Lebanon.

SPIEGEL: But wasn't Israel the first to get attacked?

Carter: I don't think that Israel has any legal or moral justification for their massive bombing of the entire nation of Lebanon. What happened is that Israel is holding almost 10,000 prisoners, so when the militants in Lebanon or in Gaza take one or two soldiers, Israel looks upon this as a justification for an attack on the civilian population of Lebanon and Gaza. I do not think that's justified, no."

Answer 7

The Koran warns Muslims against making friends with Christians and Jews. It also speaks of the day when even the rocks and trees will help kill the infidels (non-Muslims) [Paraphrase]: Oh Muslim, there is a Jew hiding behind me. Come and kill him.

If you are brought up that way, there is no question why the hatred exists.

Answer 8

why do some identify themselves with the 'given' things such as name, religion, country, relationship etc and resent others with different names, religion, race' relationship etc.? After all they are all human beings yet, thing do not see the similarities but only the differences? Is the blood differently colored or the bones or the heart different?
Why are there computer games where we annihilate and not one game which brings peace?
Why are billions spent on preparing for wars and yet only a minuscule spent on making peace?

Answer 9

Some people like holding a grudge longer than others until it becomes a tradition passed onto their ancestors. I think human beings evolve slower than the animal world cause we find reasons to fight other than survival .

Answer 10

Right after WW2 they had no where to put the Jews. The nations of the world decide to make Israel which the Jews owned a long time ago. That ment that Muslims had to be pushed out of that area. In two years the size of Israel doubled which pushed even more Muslims out