re: Someone please explain the historical hatred of Jews...

At least for the European experience:

1. Jews were long insular, easily identified and maintained many of their "other" status cultural traditions, through the European pagan and early Christian period. Much like the Gypsies, Jews were always easy to identify and (where convenient) scapegoat.

2. After the Templars created "modern" international banking and corporations, they were deleted by a French king and willing Pope. Christian restrictions on usury allowed Jews to fill that vacuum for, particularly, international finance (as they had no such religious restrictions).

3. While European nationalism certainly plays a part, the role that prominent Jews played in the early Communist, anti-Royal movements across the continent certainly led to more nationalistic, xenophobic reactions (and scapegoating) to them for various woes (regardless of their actual culpability), culminating in the Nazi Holocaust.


The ME/SW Asian version is going to take longer, but that's my best first take for your "short version please".