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Dutch legislator Geert Wilders, in Jerusalem on Sunday. (Reuters)
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'There is no moderate Islam,' says far-right Dutch legislator Geert Wilders
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Tags: Mumbai Chabad, Daniel Pipes 

An international conference on jihad that took place in Jerusalem on Sunday highlighted what hawkish scholars on Islam described as "real disputes" about the nature of the problem. The event also inspired the controversial Dutch legislator Geert Wilders to plan a European follow-up in the coming months.

"It's time for such an event in the Netherlands," the far-right Wilders said on the terrace of Jerusalem's Begin Center, where the event was held. "But the cost of security would be much higher in Holland than in Israel."

Wilders - the only one of the six speakers to receive a standing ovation from the 600 people in the audience - told his listeners that "as the terrorist attacks in Mumbai proved, there's no moderate Islam," and it is time for the West to realize it is "in a conflict with the Muslim faith at large." He sided with scholars like Haifa University's David Bukay, who averred that "moderate Islam" does not exist and that the Koran could not be reformed or modernized.
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But American scholar and activist Daniel Pipes disagreed. Quoting Egyptian philosopher Hassan Hanafi, Pipes said the Koran "is like a supermarket where one takes what one wants and leaves the rest." This freedom of selection, he argued, provides a means for reshaping Islam.

Pipes opined that those who regard Islam rather than jihad as the enemy fail to realize that a change has occurred over the past few years: Although moderate Muslims are still a small force, they are stronger than they were two years ago.

"Millions took to the streets to protest Turkey's Islamist ruling party, the AKP," he said when asked to name examples. And "hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Pakistan" following the murder of prime ministerial candidate (and former premier) Benazir Bhutto last year.

Nonetheless, Pipes said he supported more determined Western military action against radical Islam as a means of fostering this change. He also advocated "crushing the Palestinians' hope for eliminating Israel" and opposed the creation of a Palestinian state and the ongoing peace talks.

Duke University's Prof. John Lewis, pointing out that Turkey and Pakistan are not Arab countries, suggested that the fight against jihad needs to focus on non-Arab Muslim nations like Indonesia, whose populations "do not share the jihadists' apocalyptic practice of Islam."

Wilders' short movie "Fitna" also received its first Israeli screening at the event, which was organized by MK Aryeh Eldad of the Hatikva Party. The film consists mainly of Muslim hate sermons and gory images from jihad-inspired attacks, and due to the death threats he has received since its release in February, Wilders is now constantly accompanied by bodyguards.

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      1.   Wilders is correct - when did any Islamic ever pursue a terrorist 05:33  |  Natilie Durson 15/12/08
      2.   There is no such thing as moderate Muslim, it is delusional 06:25  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/12/08
      3.   The terror in Europe goes on.Not to mention most of the world. 06:28  |  PETER SM. 15/12/08
      4.   Brothers pls note this 07:02  |  Arief Contractor 15/12/08
      5.   I`m Constantly Around Muslims All The Time 08:07  |  Yosemite 15/12/08
      6.   Where`s the proof? 08:08  |  utagawa 15/12/08
      7.   Smart Gentiles 08:18  |  Bill 15/12/08
      8.   Condolences To Egyptian Victims Of Bus Crash 08:33  |  Yosemite 15/12/08
      9.   Islamic strategy. 08:34  |  Jean Van Daem 15/12/08
      10.   We are told that there is a difference between extremist Islam... 08:36  |  Jean Van Daem 15/12/08
      11.   Moderation 09:06  |  Khaled 15/12/08
      12.   Even Muslim leaders say there is no such thing as moderate Islam. 09:10  |  Matt C 15/12/08
      13.   there is no moderate islam 09:16  |  mbmordechai 15/12/08
      14.   logic? 09:21  |  Paul 15/12/08
      15.   No moderate Islam - Gert Wilders 09:22  |  DT 15/12/08
      16.   Are we supposed to take such a claim seriously? 09:24  |  newageblues 15/12/08
      17.   extreme judaism 09:31  |  Elia 15/12/08
      18.   mr. Wilders 09:32  |  rm 15/12/08
      19.   What can i say.... 09:39  |  amr 15/12/08
      20.   As a wife of a Moslim I disagree. There is a moderate Islam 09:44  |  Yaakov Sullivan 15/12/08
      21.   see reality as it is 09:46  |  amr 15/12/08
      22.   Islam 09:46  |  Ramez 15/12/08
      23.   there is no moderate Wilders 10:01  |  RM 15/12/08
      24.   There is moderate Islam, but the West strengthens Jihadists 10:05  |  Robert 15/12/08
      25.   Every parliament should have a clown 10:07  |  John 15/12/08
      26.   If 1.3 billion Muslims were all terrorists... 10:18  |  Pablo B 15/12/08
      27.   Whatever the blind choose to believe 10:31  |  Magnus K. 15/12/08
      28.   Facts 10:46  |  Eduard 15/12/08
      29.   Modern radical Islam`s only existed for 30 years. 10:49  |  Michael 15/12/08
      30.   Is there any moderate "Judaism" left in the Israel of 2008 ??? 11:06  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/12/08
      31.   Moderate Islam 11:14  |  Ahmed M Ibrahim 15/12/08
      32.   Yosemite 11:18  |  lady from USA 15/12/08
      33.   Everything can be reformed.modernized and moderated 11:20  |  Hastaroth 15/12/08
      34.   Mumbai 11:49  |  Serge 15/12/08
      35.   Wilders 11:55  |  Rob 15/12/08
      36.   To Swiss Dino 12:15  |  Afikoman 15/12/08
      37.   Moderate Islam 12:22  |  Erko 15/12/08
      38.   Wilders 4 president 12:26  |  Pim 15/12/08
      39.   Wilders is right 12:38  |  Brod 15/12/08
      40.   # 30 "Swiss" Dino 12:44  |  Swiss-Alphorn 15/12/08
      41.   Rob # 35 you must be kidding... 13:09  |  Barry 15/12/08
      42.   Either Geert wasn`t in his place or the place wasn`t an ... 13:18  |  zmogus 15/12/08
      43.   #5 "fine moslems" 13:19  |  Sobieski 15/12/08
      44.   Moderate Islam 13:39  |  Yacoub 15/12/08
      45.   To Serge 14:10  |  asad aslam 15/12/08
      46.   Oh my, Pipes looked pretty academic in the background of... 14:24  |  zmogus 15/12/08
      47.   How low can you go 15:20  |  rafiq 15/12/08
      48.   He has some good things to say 15:36  |  judith 15/12/08
      49.   I agree with Pipes; it`s not about faith, its about behavior 16:26  |  Avi 15/12/08
      50.   Swiss (Dino) your false propaganda 16:54  |  David Israel 15/12/08
      51.   I heard these same words from someone many times 16:58  |  David Israel 15/12/08
      52.   #30 Swiss (Dino) 17:26  |  El_Justiciero 15/12/08
      53.   no moderate islam? 17:47  |  Reuben Jacobs 15/12/08
      54.   re: David Israel 18:09  |  Warren J 15/12/08
      55.   Moderate Islam does exist , but only if it 18:29  |  TOMY 15/12/08
      56.   Based on the words of Islamic scholars and authorities 18:31  |  David Israel 15/12/08
      57.   #5 Yosemite , correct , I have the same experiances 18:34  |  TOMY 15/12/08
      58.   Reuben Jacobs #52 18:36  |  Brod 15/12/08
      59.   #30 Swiss , you lost your mind , you compare 18:40  |  TOMY 15/12/08
      60.   #20 Sullivans first correct statement for a long time 18:46  |  TOMY 15/12/08
      61.   Warren J - Some facts for you 18:57  |  David Israel 15/12/08
      62.   The majority of Muslims are moderate. 19:06  |  Stephen. 15/12/08
      63.   Fooiah 19:27  |  A mother 15/12/08
      64.   Of course there is a tolerant Islam 19:31  |  tristan 15/12/08
      65.   Ramez #22 19:38  |  Marc 15/12/08
      66.   Nothing positive coming from Wilders 19:55  |  American 15/12/08
      67.   #41, Barry from Tokyo. Pshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... 20:08  |  zmogus 15/12/08
      68.   # 36 Afikoman, and maybe also David Israel and TOMY..... 22:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/12/08
      69.   to Zmogus #67 22:18  |  Barry 15/12/08
      70.   Marc #65 22:41  |  Ramez 15/12/08
      71.   Number 66 -continued 23:06  |  American 15/12/08
      72.   Dino #30: at least get your terms right - 23:15  |  ivo 15/12/08
      73.   Astonishing 23:32  |  Justin 15/12/08
      74.   # 52 El_Justiciero / # 72 ivo 23:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/12/08
      75.   I fought Islamists on the ground and in the air 00:03  |  M 16/12/08
      76.   # 53 El_Justiciero / # 72 ivo, and unfortunately the terms.... 00:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/12/08
      77.   This is like the three blind mice ... 00:11  |  Dutch 16/12/08
      78.   To #75 00:20  |  Justin 16/12/08
      79.   JIHAD HATE & ViolenceThreatens EVERY Non-Muslim on Earth 00:24  |  Linda Rivera 16/12/08
      80.   It`s The Muslims that Are Far-Right 00:45  |  True Dutch 16/12/08
      81.   #68 Swiss , automaticly exclude Arab parties ??? 00:52  |  TOMY 16/12/08
      82.   #74 Swiss , Ignorance is not a virtue , even if 01:00  |  TOMY 16/12/08
      83.   Dino #74: addendum - 01:03  |  ivo 16/12/08
      84.   Tristan #64 01:06  |  Brod 16/12/08
      85.   I support Swiss Dino 01:59  |  Edith 16/12/08
      86.   #66 American, on the spot 02:00  |  Mark B. 16/12/08
      87.   tristan in paris #64 the reason"moderate muslims"chose to remain 02:11  |  terrornator 16/12/08
      88.   I copied everything 02:31  |  Edith 16/12/08
      89.   Wilders is a product of Jihad 02:32  |  Montrealer 16/12/08
      90.   #1 02:35  |  jjvanka 16/12/08
      91.   #3 02:38  |  jjvanka 16/12/08
      92.   #81, Tomy, Swiss Dino is right on that 02:39  |  newageblues 16/12/08
      93.   True Dutch (#80) 02:53  |  jjvanka 16/12/08
      94.   M (#75) 03:03  |  jjvanka 16/12/08
      95.   True Dutch (#80) 03:11  |  jjvanka 16/12/08
      96.   #78 03:22  |  M 16/12/08
      97.   In the morning moderate and afternoon will cut your head, 03:34  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 16/12/08
      98.   NEWAGEBLUES.Why is any epithet against Israel acceptable 04:05  |  PETER SM 16/12/08
      99.   Brave Jews/Wilders/Europeans Fight for FREE World`s SURVIVAL (2) 04:32  |  Linda Rivera 16/12/08
      100.   The quotes seem to be misplaced 05:06  |  Colin Wright 16/12/08
      101.   To Dino (Swiss) #30 ` is there any `moderate` Judaism? 05:10  |  Colin Wright 16/12/08
      102.   SWISS Lying again yesterday you said tattoos! 06:05  |  PETER SM. 16/12/08
      103.   DORIS.was the Maryland sniper blind? 06:08  |  PETER SM 16/12/08
      104.   Brave Jews/Wilders/Europeans Fight for FREE World`s SURVIVAL (1) 06:50  |  Linda Rivera 16/12/08
      105.   SWISS Still waiting for your TATTOO source.Tatoo as in forever !. 06:55  |  PETER SM 16/12/08
      106.   SWISS Arab Israelis ARE part of the Israeli goverrnment 06:58  |  PETER SM 16/12/08
      107.   C.WRIGHT where is the Pal, equivalent of Shalom Achshav.Meretz 07:20  |  PETER SM. 16/12/08
      108.   To Peter SM #95 08:10  |  Colin Wright 16/12/08
      109.   Swiss Dino (two step) 08:29  |  Brad 16/12/08
      110.   # 83 ivo 11:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/12/08
      111.   # 102 PETER SM, obviously you didn`t follow....... 11:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/12/08
      112.   # 109 Brad 11:36  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/12/08
      113.   #54, TOMY. Take a good look at this list. 12:36  |  zmogus 16/12/08
      114.   #92 newageblues 16:10  |  TOMY 16/12/08
      115.   #113 zmogus , correct , but the differance is 16:18  |  TOMY 16/12/08
      116.   To EVERYONE HERE..WILDERS IS RIGHT ON THE BUTTON..I HAVE PUT OUT 03:40  |  Ross 22/12/08
      117.   100% correct! 11:01  |  anthony 25/12/08
      118.   moderate Islam 00:45  |  Muslim 24/01/09
      119.   free choice. 18:06  |  quantumfoam 31/01/09
      120.   Speech of Geert Wilders 13:36  |  Elsie Tu 25/08/09
      121.   moderate islam 17:05  |  Johan 03/10/09
      122.   There is an answer! 17:59  |  John Langley 15/10/09
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