A Middle East research institute claims there has been negative reaction by Muslims to the Fifth Avenue glass cube, claiming its resemblance to the Ka’ba in Mecca is an insult to Islam. The DC-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) does not name the Arabic-language Web site that complained about the glass cube, but said the posting considers the structure a deliberate provocation to Muslims. A photo accompanying the news item shows Apple’s glass cube still covered with black plastic during construction, and before the store was opened last May 19th.
The complaining site apparently did not realize the store is already open, and mistakenly stated that the “bars” inside are serving alcohol. It also mistakenly claims the structure is officially called “Apple Mecca,” when, in fact, the company has never used that term. The only correct feature mentioned in the complaint is that the store is open 24-hours.
MEMRI is headed by a former Israeli military intelligence officer, and has been variously characterized as pro-Israeli and anti-Arab, or as a useful window into the Arab world.
Update: Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has told a Tech Web reporter the building was not intended to resemble any religious structure, and the company has never referred to it as a “Mecca.” A spokesman for MEMRI refused to divulge the identity of the original Web site that complained about the structure, but claimed the Institute had translated the objections into English from Arabic.
Oct. 12th Update: MEMRI has posted a note on their Web site responding to the growing reaction to their posting, but still not identifying the original source of the criticism of Apple’s Fifth Avenue glass cube. “It should be emphasized that all content published by MEMRI is translated directly from the primary source. MEMRI’s mission is to present material as originally written and read in the Arab world, that would otherwise go unreported,” the note says. Meanwhile, a Muslim-related Web site points out that, “The idea that Muslims might be offended by (the cube) went from blog post to mainstream media, somehow becoming ‘hundreds’ of Muslims ‘infuriated’ along the way. Nobody bothered to ask Muslims, though.”
Oct. 14th Update: A New York Post article says the original objection to the Fifth Avenue glass cube was posted on the Al-Hesbah Web site.
