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"Little Satan" (Persian: شیطان کوچک, Shaytân-e Kuchak; Arabic: الشيطان الأصغر; Hebrew: השטן הקטן) is an anti-Zionist derogatory epithet used especially by Iranian leaders for Israel.
Usage history
According to some sources Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of Iranian Revolution, first used the term in its contemporary meaning. Israel was condemned as the "Little Satan" in 1979 by Khomeini when he was addressing Israel's backing of the Shah, its close ties to the US, and the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
According to other sources, such as the Glasgow Herald, Colonel Gaddafi of Libya stated that "Israel is the little Satan" in July 1980.
Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, used this phrase when referring to Iranian rhetoric during a visit to the United States stating that: "For the Mullahs that rule Tehran, Israel is the small Satan and America is the great Satan."
Contemporary use
The term is often used by Islamist militants to recruit terrorists and by Shia Muslims to propagate hatred towards Israel. The term also features heavily in contemporary Iranian propaganda.
In Fatima gate border, a Lebanese gate border near Israel, two pillars have been erected for people to perform a symbolic stoning of little Satan (Israel) and great Satan (the United States). It is hoped that Lebanese people will perform this act instead of throwing stones at Israeli soldiers. Hezbollah, which has the same political ideology as Iran, also refers to Israel as the Zionist entity and as little Satan.
Analysis
According to Ze'ev Maghen writing in The Wall Street Journal, "there's a critical distinction in Iran attitudes toward the 'Great Satan' and the 'little Satan', which should not be ignored; Although they chant 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' with equal fervor,' they tactically know 'that the Great Satan is . . . great.'" In an address to the United States House of Representatives Government Reform Committee, Benjamin Netanyahu said that "the soldiers of militant Islam" call Israel 'Little Satan' "to distinguish it clearly from the country that has always been and will always be the Great Satan."
See also
- Calls for the destruction of Israel
- Death to America
- Iran–Israel relations
- Anti-Zionism
- Old fox
- Death to Israel
- Operation Tyre
- Down with Israel
- Israel won't exist in 25 years
References
- Mark Hitchcock (2013). Iran and Israel. Harvest House Publishers. pp. 16 and 40. ISBN 978-0-7369-5335-1.
- Chevy Purdie (14 April 2015). The Israel Story - Chevy Purdie: The story of the most successful nation in the world. Chevy Purdie. p. 12. GGKEY:PXLJDA8CG8H.
- John Hagee (5 December 2011). In Defense of Israel, Revised: The Bible's Mandate for Supporting the Jewish State. Charisma Media. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-59979-681-9.
- "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
- "This Week in History: Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran - Features - Jerusalem Post".
- JPOST.COM Staff (1 September 2015). "Netanyahu: For Iran's mullahs 'Israel is the small Satan and American is the great Satan'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- Buck, Christopher (2015-04-01). God & Apple Pie: Religious Myths and Visions of America. Educator's International Press. ISBN 9781891928222.
- Falk, Avner (2008-01-01). Islamic Terror: Conscious and Unconscious Motives. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313357640.
- Ganor, Boaz; Knop, Katharina von; Duarte, Carlos A. M. (2007-01-01). Hypermedia Seduction for Terrorist Recruiting. IOS Press. ISBN 9781586037611.
- Joseph Elie Alagha (2011). Hizbullah's Identity Construction. Amsterdam University Press. p. 223. ISBN 978-90-8964-297-4.
- Joseph Elie Alagha (2006). The Shifts in Hizbullah's Ideology: Religious Ideology, Political Ideology and Political Program. Amsterdam University Press. pp. 117 and 134. ISBN 978-90-5356-910-8.
- Maghen, Ze'ev. "Eradicating the 'Little Satan'". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- Rydelnik, Michael (2007). Understanding the Arab-Israeli conflict:what the headlines haven't told you (Rev. and updated. ed.). Chicago: Moody Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8024-2623-9. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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