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Sinai Beduin Join Al-Qaeda Out of Bitterness, Not Ideology

(Media Line-Jerusalem Post) Arieh O'Sullivan - Angered for being marginalized and impoverished by Egypt's rulers, the Bedouin in Sinai have embraced the Islamist extremist al-Qaeda terror network out of bitterness about their economic circumstances rather than religious ideology, experts say. Since the revolution in Cairo which ousted President Mubarak, lawlessness and lethal attacks by Bedouin have increased against the Egyptian establishment. Avner Goren, an expert on the Sinai Bedouin who served as chief archaeologist for Sinai when it was under Israeli control from 1967 until 1982, explained: "They are motivated out of jealously and anger, not ideology. While they don't have any conflict of interests with the Egyptians, they don't identify themselves as Egyptians." During the years of Israeli rule, the Bedouin made up about 99% of the peninsula's population. But since Israel handed it over in 1982, Egypt has moved in tens of thousands of its citizens, who have taken control over the prime tourism spots and filled the most desirable jobs. "The Egyptians have started to disperse populations. They brought water from the Nile under the Suez Canal into the northern Sinai so there is no longer a problem of water. You can settle people and even do agriculture," Goren said. "It's getting crowded and more and more Egyptians are coming in at the expense of the Bedouin." Goren, who lived among the Bedouin in Sinai, said that while al-Qaeda is supporting tribes with money, its ideology has not penetrated deeply. The Islam of the local Bedouin is relatively easy going. Bedouin have never practiced an extreme or puritanical form of Islam, he said. Traditionally, the Bedouin cherish loyalty to their tribe more than to faith.
2011-11-18 00:00:00
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