There are a lot of peoples in the middle-east, maddo! Mine are the ones what like linen clothing and forcing their women to cover up, be silent in houses of worship, and hold as few positions of authority as possible. I assume that clarifies things perfectly.Were your paternal grandparents Arabs?
To some extent, certainly, but nothing (food or otherwise) was presented to me as being Sicilian or Sicilian influenced. We had, broadly, Mediterranean dishes and Middle eastern dishes.
I did learn "Speak Softly, Love" (The Godfather) and "Somewhere, My Love" (Doctor Zhivago) on the mandolin in a failed bid to garner the least bit of love or even attention from my stern and withdrawn grandfather, but who didn't am I right.