Why do Jews and Arabs / Muslims hate each other?

Question: "Why do Jews and Arabs / Muslims hate each other?"

Answer: First, it is important to understand that not all Arabs are Muslims and not all
Muslims are Arabs. While a majority of Arabs are Muslims, there are many non-Muslim
Arabs. Further, there are significantly more non-Arab Muslims (in areas such as
Indonesia and Malaysia) than Arab Muslims.

Second, it is important to remember that not all Arabs hate Jews, that not all Muslims
hate Jews, and that not all Jews hate Arabs and Muslims. We must be careful to avoid
stereotyping people. However, generally speaking, Arabs and Muslims have a dislike and
distrust for Jews and vice-versa.

If there is an explicit biblical explanation for this animosity, it goes all the way back to
Abraham. The Jews are descendants of Abraham’s son Isaac. The Arabs are descendants
of Abraham’s son Ishmael. With Ishmael being the son of a slave woman (Genesis 16:1-
16) and Isaac being the promised son who would inherit the promises to Abraham
(Genesis 21:1-3), animosity between the two sons was almost inevitable. As a result of
Ishmael mocking Isaac (Genesis 21:9), Sarah talked Abraham into sending Hagar and
Ishmael away (Genesis 21:11-21). Likely this caused even more contempt in Ishmael’s
heart toward Isaac. An angel even prophesied to Hagar that Ishmael would “live in
hostility toward all his brothers” (Genesis 16:11-12).

The religion of Islam, of which a majority of Arabs are adherents, has made this hostility
more profound. The Qur'an contains conflicting instructions for Muslims regarding Jews.
At one point it instructs Muslims to treat Jews as brothers, but at another point it
commands Muslims to attack Jews who refuse to convert to Islam. The Qur’an also
introduces a conflict as to which son of Abraham was truly the son of promise. The
Hebrew Scriptures say it was Isaac. The Qur’an says it was Ishmael. The Qur’an teaches
that it was Ishmael that Abraham almost sacrificed to the Lord, not Isaac (in contradiction
to Genesis chapter 22). This debate over who was the son of promise contributes to the
hostility today.

However, the ancient root of bitterness between Isaac and Ishmael does not explain all of
the hostility between Jews and Arabs today. In fact, for thousands of years of Middle
Eastern history, Jews and Arabs lived in relative peace and indifference toward each
other. The primary cause of the hostility has a modern origin. After World War II, when
the United Nations gave a portion of the land of Israel to the Jewish people, the land was
at that time primarily inhabited by Arabs (the Palestinians). Most Arabs protested against
the nation of Israel occupying that land. Arab nations united and attacked Israel in an
attempt to wipe them out of the land, but they were defeated by Israel.

Ever since, there has been great hostility between Israel and its Arab neighbors. If you
look on a map, Israel has one tiny little sliver of land and is surrounded by much larger
Arab nations, i.e. Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt. It is our viewpoint that,
biblically speaking, Israel has a right to exist as a nation with its own land because God
gave the land of Israel to the descendants of Jacob, grandson of Abraham. At the same
time, we strongly believe that Israel should seek peace and display respect for its Arab
neighbors. Psalms 122:6 declares, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love
you be secure."

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