The Egyptian newspaper Al–Ahram published a series of articles by Osam Al–Baz, a senior advisor to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Among other things, Osam Al–Baz explained the origins of the blood libel against the Jews. He said that Arabs and Muslims have never been antisemitic, as a group, but accepted that a few Arab writers and media figures attack Jews “on the basis of the racist fallacies and myths that originated in Europe.” He urged people not to succumb to “myths” such as the blood libel.