I’ve had to look fairly hard for anyone else in the blogsphere who is as upset as I am about the idea that there is something we can call The Arab Mind. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read here.) Fortunately, I am not alone. But it is not enough to point out that the idea is a racist one. The person who wrote the racist book deserves some examination as well. Here is what a friend of mine, who is a specialist on the Middle East, told me:
Patai was not only an anthropologist, but also an Israeli general, who was the “mastermind” behind the divisive policies which Israel uses against the Palestinians.
I haven’t been able to find any more about this aspect of Patai on the web, but I take my friend’s word on it.
