He was anti-Semitic before this Muslim Brotherhood takeover, even during times when he didn't need to be. He opposed peace with Israel when he didn't need to, he was even more extremist than Sadat when he was in power. He banned people from visiting Jerusalem when he didn't need to. He's done what you see over and over again especially among Middle Eastern Christian leaders and gone BEYOND what he needs to do to protect himself and his people to stick it to the Jews. And the reason for this is because he actually was anti-Semitic.
You make a good point here in that he went over and above what was needed to keep his people safe. I think he and many others truly hold those Jew hating beliefs.
I'm not saying, as Lisa seemed to think, that they're only saying these things to cover themselves. That's way too much of a simplification of what I was getting at.
I think that their situation is at the root of the problem though. They are in a situation which promotes anti-Semitism. That doesn't mean they don't believe in it. Many of them do, and very strongly.
I do think we need to view this in the context of where they live and the situation they are in.
Americans and others that originate from this community and retain the anti-Semitism do so because that's what their family has believed previously.
If the situation in Egypt changes then views won't change overnight there to be more friendly toward Israel or Jewish people. It would however allow for more diversity of opinion to survive if it were to emerge.
