After a firestorm of criticism, authorities at the prestigious International Islamic University of Pakistan empaneled a special disciplinary committee to “investigate” and punish the students behind a booth that promoted Israeli culture at a recent international student fair held at the university’s Faisal Mosque.
In addition to publicly displaying Israeli flags, which is outlawed in Pakistan, the “controversial” stall, which was called “Welcome to the Land of Peace and Prosperity,” contained pictures depicting “Israel Culture & Customs” that included photographs of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Orthodox Jews, a high-tech manufacturing plant, and Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa.
The mere presence of the display triggered a ferocious and immediate reaction led by religious and student groups on campus and across Islamabad.
According to the most recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey, the people of Pakistan, tied with Jordanians and Egyptians, are the world’s most anti-semitic people. Only 2% of all Pakistanis polled reported favorable attitudes towards the Jewish people and Israel.