MK Eldad forms anti-Islam coalition

A new front being formed by representatives of the Israeli Right and European lawmakers is threatening to ignite flames of hatred. Knesset Member Arieh Eldad (Nationa Union-National Religious Party) announced Wednesday that he would be hosting a convention in Jerusalem under the banner, "Standing Up to Jihad."

"The spread of Islam threatens the foundations of Western civilization," he explained, and screened a scene from a film produced by Dutch politician Geert Wilders, which sparked a row in the Arab world several months ago and was banned in many places in Europe.

The right-wing MK told reporters Wednesday morning that the anti-jihad conference will be held in December and will be attended by some 30 European lawmakers from Denmark, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain.

"There are 60 million Muslim immigrants in Europe, and they have not necessarily come there to be assimilated into society, but rather to resist it from the inside. The feeling in Europe is that the time has come to stop jihadist Islam, and this may be the last opportunity," he explained.

According to Eldad, "The level of awareness of Islam's real character is very low, not only in Europe but also in Israel. Many in Israel live in the eye of the storm and conflict, but don’t understand the difficult reality. It's time to shatter axioms and conventions."

The MK presented an example of a convention which he believes should be shattered: "For instance, that Islam is controlled by radicals but that it is different in its foundation."

He further stated that "the conference will serve as a first opportunity for the new coalition of lawmakers to work in coordination and cooperation in order to deal and fight against Europe's conversion into Eurabia.

"If Jerusalem capitulates, Europe will follow in its footsteps and fall," he said.

'This might ignite a great fire'

Leaders of the Israeli Arab public responded with anger to Eldad's anti-Islam comments, which were voiced during the month of Ramadan.

Sheikh Khatib Kamel, deputy chairman of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, told Ynet, "I regret the fact that Israel's Knesset allows such a person to add fuel to the fire which already exists in the Middle East, under the pretense of freedom of speech.

"Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic religion, which this dishonorable MK seeks to provoke, are like a great mountain attempted to be moved by a mouse."

MK Talab El-Sana (United Arab List-Ta'al) compared Eldad's remarks to Nazi Germany. "Eldad is shifting to the extreme right in Europe – the same school which produced the Nazi movement. He has forgotten that those who incited against Islam were the spearheads against the Jews," the MK said in a statement.

"Eldad's move is sheer provocation and is offensive to a billion of Muslims worldwide, and indicates wickedness and irresponsibility," he added.

MK Ahmad Tibi referred to Eldad's press conference as "the work of a pyromaniac," adding that "he is a pyromaniac igniting fire, motivated by hatred to Islam and the Arabs. This is an act against Islam as a religion, and is thus both European and Jewish racism.

"Imagine an Arab or European filmmaker creating a movie depicting Judaism as a religion of terrorists due to the fact that Israeli soldiers kill children and assassinate people. The best way to deal with this provocation is to settle for these words."

Hadash Chairman Mohammad Barakeh also stressed the "clear Neo-Nazi lineaments" of the European Right joined by Eldad, warning that "the attempt to make an analogy between Islam and terrorism may ignite a great fire."

Sharon Roffe-Ofir contributed to this report