US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. Sparks Outrage With Anti-Arab Remarks
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. caused a stir by claiming Arabs do not contribute to science or literature, while praising Israel. Fact-checkers have debunked his assertions, citing numerous Arab Nobel laureates and scientists. Kennedy also blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for hindering scientific progress and promoting hatred, claims that have drawn widespread condemnation and calls for his dismissal.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed Arabs do not contribute to science or literature.
- Fact-checkers refuted Kennedy's claims, citing Arab Nobel laureates and scientists.
- Kennedy praised Israel's technological achievements and blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for hindering progress.
- His remarks have been condemned as racist and bigoted, with calls for his dismissal.
- The controversy occurs amid midterm elections in a U.S. with a large Arab-American community.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ignited controversy during a campaign rally by claiming that Arabs do not contribute to science and literature. Speaking in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in support of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, Kennedy stated, "There are 500 million Arabs in the world, and yet they don't produce science." He further asserted that Arabs do not win Nobel, Fields, or Wolf prizes and do not produce literature.
Fact-checkers have refuted Kennedy's claims, citing numerous documented achievements by Arab scientists and writers. The article highlights Nobel laureates Naguib Mahfouz (Literature, 1988) and Ahmed Zewail (Chemistry, 1999), chemist Omar Yaghi (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025, Wolf Prize 2018), and mathematician Michael Atiyah (Fields Medal 1966), who has Lebanese heritage. Kennedy also incorrectly stated that no Jews remain in Tunisia, where a Jewish community actively exists.
Kennedy also praised Israel's transformation into a high-tech power, contrasting it with its neighbors. He attributed this disparity to the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, alleging the movement destroyed a rich Muslim tradition of science and culture. He further claimed the Brotherhood's ideology is founded on hatred of Jews, the United States, and Western civilization, asserting that this antisemitism predated Israel's establishment.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Kennedy's remarks as "a blatant expression of racism and blatant bigotry" and called for his dismissal. Vaccine development expert Professor Peter Hotez also criticized the statements, referencing Ahmed Zewail's accomplishments. Civil rights organizations, health activists, and Democrats joined in the criticism. The controversy arises amid midterm elections in a country with a significant Arab-American population, where Rogers and his allies have attempted to link his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, to the Muslim Brotherhood, which El-Sayed has denied.
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Centre 2
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
