Statements about Jews

In January 2009, Hawass wrote in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that "The concept of killing women, children and elderly people... seems to run in the blood of the Jews of Palestine" and that "the only thing that the Jews have learned from history is methods of tyranny and torment - so much so that they have become artists in this field." He explained that he was not referring to the Jews' "[original] faith" but rather "the faith that they forged and contaminated with their poison, which is aimed against all of mankind."[16]

In an interview on Egyptian television in April 2009, Hawass stated that "although Jews are few in number, they control the entire world" and commented on the "control they have" of the American economy and the media.[17] [18][19] He later clarified that he was using rhetoric to explain political fragmentation among the Arabs and that he does not believe in a "Jewish conspiracy to control the world".[20]
[edit] Criticism in the West

In the West, Hawass has been accused of domineering behaviour, including forbidding archaeologists to announce their own findings, and courting the media for his own gain after they were denied access to archaeological sites because, according to Hawass, they were too amateurish.[21] Others however, including several Egyptologists, have said in interviews that most of what Hawass has done for the field was long overdue.[21] Hawass has typically ignored or dismissed his critics, and when asked about it, he indicated that what he does is for the sake of Egypt and the preservation of its antiquities. Hawass has instituted a systematic program for the preservation and restoration of historical monuments, while training Egyptians to improve their expertise on methods of excavation, retrieval and preservation.[22]
[edit] Maimonides Synagogue incident
Main article: Maimonides Synagogue

In March 2010 Hawass canceled the official re-opening of the restored historic Maimonides Synagogue in Cairo. In his email cancellation message issued in Arabic he described the Jewish dedication ceremony on March 7, which included dancing and serving wine, as "provocation to the feelings of hundreds of millions of Muslims in Egypt and around the world...”. In an English-language statement issued a few hours later the remarks about "drinking and dancing" were removed. Hawass said that the decision was made at "a time when Muslim holy sites in occupied Palestine face assaults from Israeli occupation forces and settlers...".[23][24] He later also said that canceling the ceremony was a "strong slap in the face" to "the Zionist enemy".[25]

Does no one care that Wikipedia depicts Zahi Hawass as an anti-Semitic boob?

That's what I get from reading his Wikipedia bio, anyway.

Does no one care that Wikipedia depicts Zahi Hawass as an anti-Semitic boob?

That's what I get from reading his Wikipedia bio, anyway.

What I don't get is, what POV would someone have to want to do that? The pro-Zionists would want to claim that virtually all Arabs love Israel apart from a handful of terrorists. Similarly, the anti-Zionists would want to play down the antisemitic element to avoid discrediting themselves. Maybe it's someone who has something personally against this chap?