Bernard Lewis
Photo: Oren Agmon
Jewish Mid-East expert Bernard Lewis passes aged 101
A renowned Jewish political analyst, historian and prolific author, Lewis was known for his great insight into the Middle East and foresight of the 'clash of civilizations' between the West and Islamic countries.
Eminent Jewish historian, political commentator, author and Middle East expert Bernard Lewis died Saturday at the age of 101.
Lewis has written more than 30 books and hundreds of articles, and has specialized in the rise of radical Islam and the relations of Islamic countries with the West.
His extensive academic work has greatly influenced the West's perception of the Middle East. His critics, meanwhile, argued that his views tend to justify Western intervention.
Bernard Lewis (Photo: Oren Agmon)
Lewis was born on 31 May 1916 in London to a middle-class Jewish family.
As early as his childhood, Lewis had shown great interest in languages and history, and after his bar mitzvah he went continue his Hebrew studies. By this time he had learned Latin and French and understood Italian thanks to his father's love of the opera.
Growing up, he studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He completed his doctorate in 1939 when he was only 23 years old.
A lifetime of research and study led him to develop his theory that friction and competition between the Islamic world and the Western world were inevitable, given the rise of extremist movements in Islam.
He thus coined the term "clash of civilizations," two years before it was made popular by American political scientist Samuel Huntington.
Lewis also argued that the source of problems in the Middle East is essentially internal—and does not necessarily stem from colonialism and external interventions. He praised Islam as a wonderful religion but claimed that it was hijacked by anger and intolerance.
Lewis's arguments aroused not only admiration but opposition over the years. In 2012 he said that "for some, I'm the towering genius. For others, I’m the devil incarnate."
