“Sorry, we thought you were a Jew”

Here’s your “Arab Spring” and “Arab Street” for you.

From a BBC correspondent (h/t Daily Dish):

While walking in the street someone pushed me from behind with such force that I nearly fell over.Turning around, I found myself surrounded by five men, one of whom tried to punch me in the face. I stopped the attack by pointing out how shameful it was for a Muslim to assault a guest in his country, especially during Ramadan.Relieved that a seemingly random assault was over, I was appalled by the apology offered by one of my assailants. “Sorry,” he said contritely, offering his hand, “we thought you were a Jew.”Shaking his head in disbelief on hearing the news, an Egyptian friend sympathised: “That’s stupid, you are obviously not a Jew.”The chilling implication I was left with was that, had I been Jewish, the assault would have apparently been justified.

Just like the attack on Lara Logan, in the new Egypt and elsewhere, looking Jewish is a dangerous thing.

Tags: Antisemitism, Middle East

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