Little Satan ( fa, شیطان کوچک, ''Shaytân-e Kuchak''; ar, الشيطان الأصغر, he, השטן הקטן) is an
anti-Zionist derogatory
A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...
epithet used especially by
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian leaders for
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.
Usage history
According to some sources
Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dyna ...
, 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
''The Herald'' is a Scottish broadsheet newspaper founded in 1783. ''The Herald'' is the longest running national newspaper in the world and is the eighth oldest daily paper in the world. The title was simplified from ''The Glasgow Herald'' in ...
'',
Colonel Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, . Due to the lack of standardization of transcribing written and regionally pronounced Arabic, Gaddafi's name has been romanized in various ways. A 1986 column by ''The Straight Dope'' lists 32 spellin ...
of Libya stated that "Israel is the little Satan" in July 1980.
Former Prime Minister of Israel,
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (; ; born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Israel from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. He is currently serving as Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of ...
, used this phrase when referring to Iranian rhetoric during a visit to the United States stating that: "For the
Mullahs
Mullah (; ) is an honorific title for Shia and Sunni Muslim clergy or a Muslim mosque leader. The term is also sometimes used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and sharia law.
The title has also been used in some Mi ...
that rule
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
, Israel is the small Satan and America is the
great Satan
The Great Satan ( fa, شيطان بزرگ; ''Shaytân-e Bozorg'') is a demonizing epithet for the United States of America in Iranian foreign policy statements. Occasionally, these words have also been used toward the government of the United ...
."
Contemporary use
The term is often used by
Islamist terrorists to recruit terrorists and by Shia speakers 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
Zionist entity ( ar, الكيان الصهيوني, ), Zionist regime ( fa, رژیم صهیونیستی, ), and Zionist enemy are interchangeable pejorative terms used predominantly by Arabs and Muslims in reference to the State of Israel. Many ...
'' and as little Satan.
Analysis
According to Ze'ev Maghen writing in ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'', "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
*
Great Satan
The Great Satan ( fa, شيطان بزرگ; ''Shaytân-e Bozorg'') is a demonizing epithet for the United States of America in Iranian foreign policy statements. Occasionally, these words have also been used toward the government of the United ...
*
Iran–Israel relations
Iran–Israel relations can be divided into four major phases: the ambivalent period from 1947 to 1953, the friendly period during the era of the Pahlavi dynasty from 1953 to 1979, the worsening period following the Iranian Revolution from 1979 ...
*
Anti-Zionism
*
Antisemitism in Iran
*
Zionist entity
Zionist entity ( ar, الكيان الصهيوني, ), Zionist regime ( fa, رژیم صهیونیستی, ), and Zionist enemy are interchangeable pejorative terms used predominantly by Arabs and Muslims in reference to the State of Israel. Many ...
References
{{Iran–Israel proxy conflict
Iran–Israel relations
Political terminology of Iran
Political catchphrases
Political slurs
Anti-Zionism in the Middle East
Anti-Western sentiment
Ruhollah Khomeini