Europe and Israel: The Road To Entrenchment

THE West is leaning dangerously to the right and its political polarization today is being driven primarily by heightened fear of Islam and Muslims, especially immigrants. Few weeks ago German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared the death of multiculturalism in her country, more than four decades since the idea was embraced as millions of foreign workers, mostly from Muslim Turkey, arrived in Germany.

By OSAMA AL SHARIF
Courtesy Of "The Arab News"

She was speaking at a conference of her Christian Democratic Union party and her pronouncement marked a change from her earlier views. Her statements were received with enthusiasm by other politicians, among them the prime minister of Bavaria, who has called for an end to immigration from Turkey and Arab countries.

Merkel was echoing growing sentiments among Germans against Muslim immigrants who many believe have failed to integrate into German society. Right-wing parties who celebrate the death of multiculturalism are committed to safeguarding a dominant German culture, which they see as threatened by non Judeo-Christian values.

The demonization of Islam and Muslims by ideologue extremists is not limited to Germany. In France, Holland, Britain and Denmark the debate is moving from the periphery to the center. The issue of the social and cultural effects of Muslim immigrants on France’s secularism or Holland’s Judeo-Christian heritage is being embraced by the right as well as the left. In Britain, right-wing parties are calling for a fundamental review of immigration policies.

In France Jean Marie Le Pen’s National Front is building a coalition of parties to move the issue of immigration to the center stage in the next elections. And in Holland Geert Wilders Party of Freedom, which is openly anti-Muslim, is now the third largest party in the Dutch Parliament.

Of course when Al-Qaeda, and its leader Osama Bin Laden, issue terror threats against France, the media and politicians make sure that public worry is channeled to serve right-wing and extremist agendas. The fear factor is crucial in cultivating anti-Muslim sentiments and in amplifying the message of the far right.

IN the United States, which still carries the scars of 9/11, Islamophobia has become a rallying call by Republican politicians at a time of political and economic uncertainty. We have seen how this suspicion of Muslims has expressed itself in the public outrage at a plan to build an Islamic center not far from ground zero in Lower Manhattan, and in how right-wing media and pundits continue to demonize Islam and Muslims.

The recent foiled plot to dispatch explosive shipments from Yemen to the United States, allegedly by Al-Qaeda, will make sure that the fear factor continues to feature in US politics. Radical Islam, which is a real threat not only in the West but in Arab and Muslim lands as well, has become a dominant issue in world politics. But it is unfortunate that Western politicians are using it to stereotype all Muslims. Whether fear of Islam and Muslims is real or exaggerated it is now being used to push the West further toward the extreme right. As a result Europe is now dwelling on its Muslim Question, which has become more urgent in light of the demographic pressures. In 20 years European Muslims could make up about quarter of the continent’s population.

Revision of immigration laws could only be the beginning of Europe’s entrenchment as it battles economic challenges. Xenophobia is on the rise and the public mood is slowly leaning toward extreme parties. With Europe’s previous experiences with fascist and ultra-nationalistic ideologies, it is possible that the current rise in Islamophobia could trigger earth-shattering political swings in the coming few years.

It is ironic that Europe’s entrenchment is taking place at a time when Israel is pushing vehemently to change its democratic character. A batch of laws is being considered that target exclusively Israel’s Arab minority. One such law will give acceptance to committees of communal villages the authority to limit residence in their towns exclusively to Jews. In justifying the law defenders say it will support the right of communities to protect their unique way of life.

Israel is bent on dealing with the perceived demographic threat posed by its Arab citizens through legislations that are turning the country into an apartheid state. It is already carrying out a scheme to evict the Arab citizens of East Jerusalem. Its foreign minister has suggested that a future deal with the Palestinians could include land and people swap, euphemism for an ethnic removal of all Arabs from Israel.

Israel has already embraced right-wing and ultra-nationalist parties. It is already implementing racist policies against its own citizens and the Palestinian people under its occupation. We are yet to hear strong denunciations from Merkel and other European leaders of these policies.

But that is unlikely to happen. It is difficult to see Europe criticizing Israeli policies when the debate in the continent is about the death of multiculturalism and the need to close the doors before immigrants from Muslim countries in order to preserve the dominant cultures. Europe’s entrenchment is not very different from Israel’s scheme to evict Palestinians in order to protect its way of life. That discourse could soon move to the United States as well, which also looks the other way as Israel slowly becomes an apartheid state.

Whether in Europe or the United States Islamophobia should be challenged because it alienates Muslims, the majority of whom are moderates who have integrated into Western societies and made a life for themselves in their adopted countries. Alienation, hatred and persecution will only lead to confrontation and eventually to militancy. It is the same in Palestine where decades of discrimination and abuse have fueled radicalism and truncated all routes to peaceful coexistence.

— Osama Al Sharif is a veteran journalist and political commentator based in Amman.