The statements of right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders are on the same level as anti-Semitism. That's the thrust of a full-page advertisement that Dutch-Jewish television producer Harry de Winter placed on the front page of Monday's edtion of newspaper de Volkskrant. Dutch Muslims have reacted with surprise.
The text of the advertisement, which has also been signed by two Dutch Jewish organisations, reads:
"If Geert Wilders had said the same things about Jews (and the Old Testament) as he has now reeled off about Muslims (and the Qur'an), then he would have been ostracised a long time ago and accused of anti-Semitism."
Critical of Israeli policy
Television producer Harry de Winter is one of the founders of Een ander Joods geluid ('Another Jewish Voice'), a group of Dutch Jews who are critical of the policy of Israel towards the Palestinians. The climate that is being shaped by Mr Wilders is, according to him, comparable with the rise of anti-Semitism in the 1930s. Mr De Winter believes there has been far too little reaction to Mr Wilders in the Netherlands. But especially he believes that a reaction must come from the Jewish corner. As he says in de Volkskrant:
"We Jews know like no others what this sort of discrimination can lead to."
"Absurd"
Amongst other things, Geert Wilders, leader of the right-wing Freedom Party, has called the Qur'an "a fascist book" and a "licence to kill." Mr De Winter finds such statements absurd.
"It's incomprehensible that Mr Wilders keeps on coming out with such rubbish. If you read the Old Testament [the Jewish Torah] then you also find texts about hatred of homosexuals, hatred of women and murdering of non-Jews."
But if on that basis you shouted that the holy book of the Jews is fascist, then according to Mr De Winter, the country would be up in arms:
"Then all sorts of organisations, such as the Anne Frank Foundation, would be taking action immediately. But when it's about Muslims, then anything goes, apparently."
Muslims strengthened
Dutch Muslims feel strengthened by the advertisement. Fouad Sidali of the Cooperative Organisation of Moroccans in the Netherlands told Radio Netherlands Worldwide:
"The feeling of double standards has remained strong amongst the Moroccan Muslims. But if we were to say that ourselves, then it we'd soon be accused of placing ourselves in the role of victims and not being able to take criticism. Therefore I'm happy it's come from our Jewish neighbours."
But the Dutch Jewish community is less united. Ronnie Naftaniel from the Israel Information and Documentation Centre (CIDI) thinks that, in his criticism of Mr Wilders, Harry de Winter is blurring the distinction between Islam and Muslims.
"If Mr Wilders says that no more Muslims may enter the country, that indeed is discrimination. But you must be able to criticise a religion. That falls under freedom of expression. You may also say that Judaism is a backward religion."
Misplaced comparison
Mr Naftaniel believes the comparison with the anti-Semitism of the 1930s is misplaced:
"The position of the Jews then is not the same as that of the Muslims now. We now have to cope with a world in which extremist Muslim groups are operating that want to destroy our legal order. You must oppose this, but without tarring all Muslims with the same brush."
* RNW translation (as/tpf)
Tags:
anti-Semitism,
de Volkskrant,
Geert Wilders,
Harry de Winter,
Islam,
Jewish,
Jews,
Qur'an,
Torah
Sandra Wagenburg,
22-03-2008
- Netherlands
Wilders may not be going about it the right way, but the way Muslims react to his -- as yet unseen -- move shows that he is right to be concerned about Islam.
When will we see Muslims take to the streets -- in ***peaceful*** demonstrations -- against Muslim extremists?
What is it in Islam that allows certain Muslims to delight in slaughtering the innocent victims they kidnap? What possibly good could there bin in Islam if it inspires young men and old women to blow themselves up on subways or amongst people enjoying themselves at a sidewalk cafe?
Muslims must prove people like WIlders wrong by reforming their religion -- which includes speaking out clearly against those who use Islam as a pretext for indiscriminate murder.
Steven,
22-03-2008
- Netherlands
Wouldn't it be GREAT when the people in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and all the countries in the Middle East would protest against the extremist people in their own countries just like the Dutch people protest against the extremist people (read: Geert Wilders) in Holland?
For some reason these kind of protests never happen. Maybe the people in the Middle East don't mind innocent people getting killed by Muslim-extremists, they only care when Muslims get killed by non-Muslims.
And these are the people the non-Muslims try to help by protesting against Geert Wilders...
Abu Lahab,
21-03-2008
- U.S.A.
Sandra, there was no such nation called Pakistan prior to WW2. You must think we're a bunch of fools. Anyway, this film is a critique of al-Qur'an and whether it preaches supremacism and Jihad. You seem to be against the idea of examining Islam. What have you got to hide? What are you afraid of?
Natalya,
19-03-2008
-
Yeah, but there is a "small" difference between Muslims and Jews. The Qur`ran prescribes Muslims to hate Jews, while Jews do not have any special attitude against ALL Muslims. Wilders is a brave man who deserves respect. He struggles for his idea, risking his life while the other so-called "democrats" are ready to hide democracy and freedom of speech in their [...] just because of being afraid of Islamic extremists. Right now Islamic radicals control the speech freedom in Europe, and Wilders is one of the few officials who does not lick the Islamic [...]. Can't wait to see the movie.
Sandra,
19-03-2008
- Nederlands
Thomas, I am a proud Jew that knows what it is like to feel hated and discriminated against by the descendents of those who know full well that their ancestors gleafully murdererd millions of innocent families, my grandparents and uncles, some of their children not so lucky to escape to other countries.
No, you cannot compare the Halocaust to Muslims of today. All I am trying to point out is, the propaganda we hear everyday in the press, the racial tensions is exactly what Jews were hearing before the incidents that lead up to the Halocaust. The constant stereotyping of Muslims is reminiscent to what the Jews in Europe themselves heard before it came to be the mass deportations of Jews and then finally, the concentration camps and the rest you know.
I am not denying that we have radical terrorist that are murdering, torturing and maming in the name of Islam. What I am saying is not all Muslims are terrorists. Not all Muslims hate Jews. At one time in Pakistan, Muslims and Jews lived peacefully together, before world war 2, as many jews themselves do not deny this.
leo jorritsma,
19-03-2008
- france
Thanks for your action, I agree, fundamentalism of all confessions leads to this unfriendlyness, we need to realise we are all just passing through here and cannot ignore each other.
David Sinclair,
18-03-2008
- South Africa
Harry de Winter knows nothing about "The Religion of Peace" and when the Muslims take over in the Netherlands he will regret not backing Geert Wilders in his dangerous efforts to wake the Dutch up to the bleak future they face as dhimmi's in their own homeland. If Muslims manage to stifle free speech and expression with threats of violence, they will be a step closer to their goal of a global caliphate.
Thomas,
18-03-2008
- USA
Our resident Commie-Islamofascist propagandist suggests you to read this garbage from her respected Turkish idiot: The publication of Soykırım Yalanı sparked much public debate.[15] This book claims that “what is presented as Holocaust is the death of some Jews due to the typhus plague during the war and the famine towards the end of the war caused by the defeat of the Germans” [link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harun_Yahya] How quaint, isn't it? Self -loathing Jews support Mohammed... What do you think, what will happen when their wishes reach fruition?
Abu Lahab,
18-03-2008
- U.S.A.
Sandra, you are wrong. Jews and Christians who lives under a Shari'a law are treated as "Dhimmis" (second class) status. People are so keen to point out how Islam is tolerant towards other religions. Just read the shahi hadith I posted. In the Qur'an Allah turned Jews to apes and pigs. More on Islamic antisemitism http://www.andrewbostom.org/content/view/15/1/
Martin,
18-03-2008
- UK
What a crazy comparison!! Jews were struggling to escape from their persecutors in Nazi Germany, whereas Muslims arrive daily by the boatload in Western Europe for a better life, i.e. they are treated WELL in Europe. The real mystery is why we in Europe show such friendship and tolerance to a growing group of people whose stated intention is our destruction. Wilders is only trying to show the world what is written in the Koran, because let's face it most people just assume its message must be peaceful, like the Bible and Torah, when in actual fact it's a book about killing and hatred. The reason criticism of the Koran is banned in Muslim countries is because it really doesn't stand up to it very well, and the sooner the truth were known the better. The Dutch government's position is frankly inescusable on this.
Sandra,
18-03-2008
- Nederlands
Waqas is right, read the Quran before passing judgement. Jews and Muslims in Muslim lands have lived side by side in peace and security for centuries and still do in certain regions of the world.
Here is a good article to start with if any of you have any interest in learning facts and not fiction. http://www.globalfreemasonry.com/articles_03.html
Waqas,
18-03-2008
- Canada
IF you just read the Quran, you will know what Islam is, but if you rely on the media...then good luck; because peace will be all around you, and you will still not be able to find it.
Thomas,
18-03-2008
- USA
The word "KAPO" were first used to describe those Jews who were eager collaborators with the SS. The Judenrat in the Eastern European ghetto organized the deportations of the unfortunate Jews to Auschwitz and elsewhere. The Bolshevik Jews invented Birobidjan in Siberia where all the religious Jews were sent by Stalin's Jewish henchmen like Yagoda, Trocky and countless more. They were the Communist Party leaders behind the Iron curtain - back then - and an American-born (Adam Pearlman) Jew is the official Spokesman of Al-Queida today under the name of Adam Yahiye Gadahn. Most decent people completely aware of the bloody horror taking place world wide in the wake of Islamofascist expansion ..-there is, no rational mind who would support beheading, genital mutilation, oppression of free speech, terrorism, the list is bloody long. We are still remembering the brutal mutilation of a young Jewish Frenchmen in Paris by muslim thugs, the burning of Synagogue ... It's is bad omen for a Jew if he join the enemies of Europe and it portends very cloudy coming days for the remaining Jews.
Abu Lahab,
17-03-2008
- U.S.A.
Support Wilders' Film, you dhimmis. Volume 4, Book 52, Number 177: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him." http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/052.sbt.html#004.052.177
Mikel,
17-03-2008
- ND
This is absurd...Winters is what is called Jewicidal...does he think he is earning goodwill of the Muslims? When they are the majority and over take the Nethers, they won't hesitate to kill him...or any other non-Muslims...who does he think is on a killing rampage across the world since 9-11? Christians? Jews? This guy is out of touch...
