Letter to The Washington Post

Dear Editor, Even though Jew hatred rears its ugly head on a daily basis and is ingrained in every level of Arab society, including state-sponsored TV and newspapers, the Washington Post is silent. Then, there is an episode of racism in Israel and the coverage begins ["Soccer racism raises concerns in Israel" 2/12/13]. By depicting one example of Israeli racism while ignoring the pervasive racism in Arab countries, it makes it appear as the norm in Israel, and insignificant in the Arab world, when it is clearly the other way around. I was in Amman Jordan just last year, and you couldn't walk by a book store without seeing Hitler's manifesto Mein Kampf prominently displayed (see attached picture). One thing The Washington Post did get right: The behavior by the soccer fans has caused a "national debate" in Israeli society. In Arab countries, however, there is no debate about their racist attitudes toward Jews: it is a national consensus. That is the real news - and the story that The Washington Post missed. Michael Berenhaus