Brigitte Gabriel ( ar, بريجيت غابرييل; born Hanan Qahwaji,
21 October 1964) is a
Lebanese-
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
author,
anti-Islam activist, and founder of the anti-Muslim group
ACT! for America.
Early life and education
Gabriel was born in the
Marjeyoun District
The Marjeyoun District is a district in the Nabatieh Governorate of Lebanon. The capital of the district is Marjeyoun.
Marjeyoun
Marjayoun ( ar, مرج عيون: Lebanese pronunciation), also Marj 'Ayoun, Marjuyun or Marjeyoun (lit. "meadow o ...
of
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
to a
Maronite Christian couple, a first and only child after over twenty years of marriage.
She says that during the
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...
, Islamic militants launched an assault on a Lebanese military base near her family's house and destroyed her home. Gabriel, who was ten years old at the time, was injured by
shrapnel
Shrapnel may refer to:
Military
* Shrapnel shell, explosive artillery munitions, generally for anti-personnel use
* Shrapnel (fragment), a hard loose material
Popular culture
* ''Shrapnel'' (Radical Comics)
* ''Shrapnel'', a game by Adam C ...
in the attack.
Afterwards, she and her parents were forced to live underground in all that remained, an
bomb shelter
A bomb shelter is a structure designed to provide protection against the effects of a bomb.
Types of shelter
Different kinds of bomb shelters are configured to protect against different kinds of attack and strengths of hostile explosives.
Air ...
for seven years, with only a small kerosene heater, no sanitary systems, no electricity or running water, and little food.
Gabriel also stated that she had to crawl in a roadside ditch to a spring for water to evade Muslim snipers.
At one point in the spring of 1978, a bomb explosion caused Gabriel and her parents to become trapped in the shelter for two days.
They were eventually rescued by three Christian militia fighters,
one of whom befriended Gabriel but was later killed by a land mine.
Gabriel wrote that in 1978 a stranger warned her family of an impending attack by the Islamic militias on all Christians. She says that her life was saved when the Israeli army invaded Lebanon in
Operation Litani
The 1978 South Lebanon conflict (codenamed Operation Litani by Israel) began after Israel invaded southern Lebanon up to the Litani River in March 1978, in response to the Coastal Road massacre near Tel Aviv by Lebanon-based Palestinian mi ...
. Later, when her mother was seriously injured and taken to an Israeli hospital, Gabriel was surprised by the humanity shown by the Israelis, in contrast to the constant propaganda against Jews she saw as a child.
[ – speaker profile from lecture series] She said of her experience:
I was amazed that the Israelis were providing medical treatment to Palestinian and Muslim gunmen...These Palestinians and Muslims were sworn, mortal enemies, dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the slaughter of Jews. Yet, Israeli doctors and nurses worked feverishly to save their lives. Each patient was treated solely according to the nature of his or her injury. The doctor treated my mother before he treated an Israeli soldier lying next to her because her injury was more severe than his. The Israelis did not see religion, political affiliation, or nationality. They saw only people in need, and they helped.
After graduating from high school, Gabriel completed a one-year
business administration course at a
YWCA
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries.
The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...
in 1984.
Multiple facts surrounding Gabriel's upbringing and autobiography have been disputed, with author
Dave Gaubatz Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
calling her account of growing up in Lebanon to be "dramatically fabricated.”
Career
Using the pseudonym Nour Semaan,
Gabriel was a news anchor for ''World News'', an Arabic-language evening news broadcast of
Middle East Television
Middle East Television (METV) is a Christian satellite television broadcasting network located in Limassol, Cyprus. Programming on METV includes a mixture of Christian programming, plus non-religious entertainment programs like '' The Red Green ...
, which "was then run by
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is an American media mogul, religious broadcaster, political commentator, former presidential candidate, and former Southern Baptist minister. Robertson advocates a conservative Christian ...
's
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is an American Christian media production and distribution organization. Founded in 1960 by Pat Robertson, it produces the long-running TV series '' The 700 Club'', co-produces the ongoing ''Superbook'' ...
to spread his politically conservative, Pentecostal faith in the Middle East."
The broadcasts covered Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Gabriel reported on the Israeli withdrawal from central Lebanon, the
Israeli Security Zone (occupied South Lebanon), and the Palestinian uprising in the
West Bank
The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
and
Gaza. She moved to Israel
before emigrating in 1989 to the United States.
In February 2017, Gabriel said that she provided a "national security briefing" at the White House.
She met with aides at the White House in March 2017.
ACT! for America
Her organization,
ACT! for America, has been described as
anti-Muslim
Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism.
The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia'' ...
or anti-Islamic.
According to ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', ACT! for America draws "on three rather religious and partisan streams in American politics: evangelical Christian conservatives, hard-line defenders of Israel (both Jews and Christians) and
Tea Party
A tea party is a social gathering event held in the afternoon. For centuries, many societies have cherished drinking tea with a company at noon. Tea parties are considered for formal business meetings, social celebrations or just as an afternoon ...
Republicans".
According to ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', the organization "touted as its 'first accomplishment' its 2008 campaign to shut down a Minnesota Islamic school."
Viewpoints
The
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white s ...
described ACT! for America as "the largest grassroots
anti-Muslim
Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism.
The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia'' ...
group in the country,"
and the
Council on American–Islamic Relations
The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group. It is headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., with regional offices nationwide. Through civil rights actions, media relations, civic enga ...
has described it as "one of the main sources of growing anti-Muslim bigotry in our nation".
According to ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', the organization has been "widely identified as anti-Muslim".
Gabriel and ACT! have been described as part of the
counter-jihad
Counter-jihad, also spelled counterjihad and known as the counter-jihad movement, is a self-titled political current loosely consisting of authors, bloggers, think tanks, street movements and campaign organisations all linked by apocalyptic bel ...
movement by
Hope not Hate
Hope not Hate (stylized as HOPE not hate) is an advocacy group based in the United Kingdom which campaigns against racism and fascism. It has also mounted campaigns against Islamic extremism and antisemitism. It is self-described as a "non-par ...
.
According to
Peter Beinart
Peter Alexander Beinart (; born February 28, 1971) is an American liberal columnist, journalist, and political commentator. A former editor of ''The New Republic'', he has also written for ''Time'', ''The New York Times'', and ''The New York Revie ...
in ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'', "the organization has condemned cities with large Muslim populations for serving
halal food
Islamic dietary laws are dietary laws that Muslims follow. Islamic jurisprudence specifies which foods are '' '' (, "lawful") and which are '' '' (, "unlawful"). The dietary laws are found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as well as in col ...
in public schools. In 2013, its Houston chapter urged members to 'protest' food companies that certify their meat as compliant with Islamic dietary law. ACT! for America tries to dissuade Jews and Christians from conducting
interfaith dialogue
Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
with Muslims. And in state after state, it has lobbied state legislatures and school boards to purge textbooks of references that create 'an inaccurate comparison between Islam, Christianity and Judaism.'"
According to Laurie Goodstein of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', Gabriel "presents a portrait of Islam so thoroughly bent on destruction and domination that it is unrecognizable to those who study or practice the religion."
Goodstein says that Gabriel "insists that she is singling out only 'radical Islam' or Muslim 'extremists'—not the vast majority of Muslims or their faith. And yet, in her speeches and her two books, she leaves the opposite impression."
''
BuzzFeed News'' described her as "the most influential leader in America's increasingly influential anti-Islam lobby." ''The Washington Post'' describes her two books as "alarmist tracts about Islam."
Beinart described her as "America's most prominent anti-Muslim activist."
Stephen Lee, a publicist at
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, in the Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under si ...
for Gabriel's second book, has called her views "extreme,"
and
Deborah Solomon
Deborah Solomon (born August 9, 1957) is an American art critic, journalist and biographer. She sometimes writes for the New York Times, where she was previously a columnist. Her weekly column, "Questions For" ran in ''The New York Times Magazin ...
of ''
The New York Times Magazine
''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. ...
'', who interviewed Gabriel in August 2008, described her as a "radical Islamophobe".
According to Clark Hoyt from ''The New York Times'', over 250 people wrote in to protest that label in the days that followed.
Hussein Ibish
Hussein Yusuf Kamal Ibish (Arabic Language, Arabic: حسين يوسف كمال أيبش; is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He is a weekly columnist for Bloomberg L.P., Bloomberg and The National (Abu Dha ...
, a Senior Resident Scholar at
The Arab Gulf States Institute
The Arab Gulf States Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank
A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mil ...
in Washington, said that her "agenda is pure unadulterated hatred" and that she has "a pathological hatred of Muslims and other Arabs".
Gabriel disputes the charge, saying that "I have no quarrel with Muslims who wish to practice the spiritual tenets of their religion in peace".
Opinions on Islam
In 2009, Gabriel said that there is a "cancer called
Islamofascism
"Islamofascism", first described as "Islamic fascism" in 1933, is a term popularized in the 1990s drawing an analogical comparison between the ideological characteristics of specific Islamist or Islamic fundamentalist movements and short-lived E ...
" that permeates a Muslim world in which "extreme is mainstream". In June 2014, Gabriel said that "The radicals are estimated to be between 15 to 25 percent" worldwide.
In an interview with ''
The Australian Jewish News
''The Australian Jewish News'' (''AJN'') is a newspaper published in Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Since 2019 it has been a local partner of '' The Times of Israel''.
History
The ''AJN'' is descended from ''The Hebrew Stan ...
'', she stated that "A practising Muslim who upholds the tenets of the
Koran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , si ...
—it's not that simple—a practising Muslim who goes to mosque every Friday, prays five times a day, and who believes that the Koran is the word of God, and who believes that Mohammed is the perfect man and
our inaudible wordsis a radical Muslim."
When Gabriel was invited to speak as part of a lecture series organized by
Duke University's Jewish community in October 2004, many in attendance were angered by her referring to Arabs as "barbarians." The Freeman Centre for Jewish Life at Duke University later apologized for her comments.
Following her speech at a women's campaign event for the Jewish Federation of Ottawa (JFO) in November 2008, many in attendance registered their protests, leading Mitchell Bellman, president and CEO of the JFO, to write a letter in which he acknowledged that Gabriel made, "unacceptable gross generalizations of Arabs and Muslims," distancing his organization from her views.
In 2007 at the
Christians United for Israel
Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is an American Christian organization that supports Israel. Its statement of purpose is; "to provide a national association through which every pro-Israel church, parachurch organization, ministry or individu ...
annual conference, Gabriel delivered a speech that included the following:
The difference, my friends, between Israel and the Arab world is the difference between civilization and barbarism. It's the difference between good and evil pplause.. this is what we're witnessing in the Arabic world, They have no soul, they are dead set on killing and destruction. And in the name of something they call "Allah" which is very different from the God we believe... pplausebecause our God is the God of love.
In March 2011 while being interviewed by
Eliot Spitzer on
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
, Gabriel defended the speech, saying "I was talking about how Palestinian mothers are encouraging their children to go out and blow themselves up to smithereens just to kill Christians and Jews. And it was in that context that I – that I contrasted the difference between Israel and the Arabic world, was the difference between democracy and barbarism."
Arab–Israeli conflict
Regarding the
two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotia ...
, Gabriel stated: "Forcing Israel to accept a two-state solution is not going to work unless the Palestinians first are forced to clean up their act and eliminate hatred from their schoolbooks, teach tolerance to their people, and preach acceptance of Israel and the Jews as a neighbor."
Iran–Israel proxy conflict
In a speech at a conference sponsored by the UN Permanent Mission of Palau and the Aja Eze Foundation, Gabriel said that she viewed Israel as the vanguard in the world's fight against
Islamic terrorism, equating Israel's fight against
Hamas
Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam ...
and
Hezbollah with the World's fight against the
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
.
''Because They Hate''
''Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America'' is a 2006 book by Gabriel. It describes her childhood experiences in Lebanon and criticizes radical Islamic expression in the Middle East and elsewhere. The book reached number 12 on
''The New York Times'' Best Seller list for political books.
After this book, she released another similar book, ''They Must Be Stopped''.
Summary
The book begins with events from her childhood in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
, where she was raised by her parents as a
Maronite Christian. During the
Israeli–Lebanese conflict
The Israeli–Lebanese conflict, or the South Lebanon conflict,G. Rongxing. ''Territorial Disputes and Conflict Management: The Art of Avoiding War''. p71. was a series of military clashes involving Israel, Lebanon and Syria, the Palestine Libe ...
in the 1980s, their house was hit by missiles, causing them to move to a barracks, and eventually to an Israeli hospital. With the help of Israeli people, she was able to start a new life, becoming a journalist and a presenter for the Israeli television World News program.
In the book, she claims that Islamic governments in Middle East are spreading negative prejudices towards "
infidels" (non-Muslims, mostly Christians and Jews), and she argues that Muslims around the world are engaging in
jihad against Christians and Jews, branding Islam as threat.
She explains her view of "Muslim hatred" against West and other religions, writing:
Responses
The book received mixed responses from critics, some feeling that it provided a critical analysis of Islam and a warning to the American people, while others criticized the tone and the distorted view of the author and her description of Islam as a 'horrible religion.' It has been described as a counter-jihadist book.
Fox News military analyst
Paul E. Vallely praised Gabriel's book as a "dire warning" to the Western world.
Because They Hate
Macmillan The book was also placed on the FBI Academy reading list and made mandatory reading for Navy SEALS Special Forces troops heading to the Middle East.
Bibliography
*
*
See also
* '' The Truth About Muhammad'' by Robert Spencer
* Islamophobia
Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism.
The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia'' ...
References
External links
American Congress For Truth website
Presentation to the Heritage Foundation
National Post
The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
C-SPAN Q&A interview about Because They Hate
Videos
''Because They Hate'' presentation
to The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation (abbreviated to Heritage) is an American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. that is primarily geared toward public policy. The foundation took a leading role in the conservative movement during the presiden ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gabriel, Brigitte
1964 births
Living people
21st-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century Protestants
21st-century American women writers
American Christian Zionists
American journalists of Arab descent
American Maronites
American political activists
American political commentators
American political journalists
American political writers
American social commentators
American women activists
American women journalists
Arab supporters of Israel
American critics of Islam
Christian critics of Islam
Counter-jihad activists
Journalists from Virginia
Lebanese emigrants to the United States
Lebanese Maronites
American opinion journalists
People from South Lebanon
People from Virginia Beach, Virginia
Writers from Virginia