History Notes Special: Nazis Helped Arabs Produce Anti-Zionist Propaganda

After World War II, some Nazi officials and collaborators sought refuge in various Arab nations. They often tried to conceal their identities, and in some cases, they converted to Islam. They were employed in state propaganda institutes to produce “anti-Zionist” content.

One notable example is Johann von Leers, who was a Nazi propagandist and anti-Semitic writer. He converted to Islam and took the name Omar Amin when he moved to Egypt. He did work for the Egyptian government and produced anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist content.

Another figure is Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. While he was not a Nazi official, he played a role in disseminating anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist propaganda.

After the war, Otto Skorzeny was recruited as a military advisor in Egypt, where he trained Egyptian and other Arab forces, including Palestinians, whom he helped organize raids into Israel. Among the soldiers trained by him was Yasser Arafat. It is rumored that Skorzeny set up a secret organization called Die Spinne (The Spider), which helped former SS members escape prosecution. As many as 600 former SS members were assisted in escaping punishment and finding new homes in Spain and Argentina.

Because of his past, Otto Skorzeny was a man wanted by Mossad, but instead of killing him, Skorzeny ended up working for Mossad. His motives for doing so are unknown, but it is likely a combination of a desire for adventure and a fear of being killed by Mossad, which led him to work for the Israeli government.