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Dutch MP Geert Wilders. (AP)
Last update - 23:17 30/03/2008
Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive'
By Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies
Tags: Fitma, Islam, Holland

The newly-released anti-Islam film by right-wing Dutch legislator Geert Wilders drew condemnations from the Netherlands' Central Jewish Board, which Friday called the film's focus on anti-Jewish preachings by Muslims "counterproductive" and "generalizing."

In keeping with Wilders' belief in a Judeo-Christian partnership in the face of "the threat of Islam," the 15-minute film, entitled "Fitna" - Arabic for strife - shows clerics calling to behead Jews, Koran passages equating Jews to "apes and swines" and photos of demonstrators promising "another Holocaust" and praising Adolf Hitler.

In a statement following the film's online release, the board said that Wilders - the leader of the Party for Freedom - was guilty of serious generalizations. "Wilders presented demographics on the increase of Muslims in Europe with pictures from scenes of terrorist attacks, suggesting all Muslims are potential terrorists," head of the Hague-based Center for Information and Documentation on Israel, Dr. Ronny Naftaniel, Saturday told Haaretz.
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While the anti-Semitic material Wilders compiled "demonstrates some Muslims have terrible ideas about Jews," the way Fitna portrays reality serves to "polarize Dutch society," the board said, adding this was counterproductive to the fight against extremism.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said he was "proud" of Dutch Muslims for their peaceful reaction to the film. Parliament is due to discuss Fitna on Tuesday.

The government feared religious riots if the footage was deemed offensive, but the umbrella group for Dutch Muslims said that the film does not insult their religion.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the Dutch ambassador to the Islamic Republic on Sunday to protest against the film, state radio said.


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      1.   RESPONSE TO FITNA CRITICS 05:31  |  DS 30/03/08
      2.   FITNA is not made up by Geert, it is a fact which we all know 05:34  |  Marco 30/03/08
      3.   CAN"T wait for Moslem condemnation of the racist lying 05:43  |  PETER SM 30/03/08
      4.   Wilders has a point! 05:47  |  Concerned 30/03/08
      5.   FITNA 05:47  |  lee Kohl 30/03/08
      6.   FITNA shows the inconvenient truth 05:49  |  Peperino 30/03/08
      7.   FITNA shows the inconvenient truth 05:49  |  Peperino 30/03/08
      8.   No difference if even 99% Muslims are peaceful 05:54  |  William 30/03/08
      9.   DS in California 06:02  |  John 30/03/08
      10.   Marco 06:04  |  Jewish Family 30/03/08
      11.   Fitna 06:10  |  Fran 30/03/08
      12.   Yes, German Jews once believed they can live with Nazis 06:10  |  I 30/03/08
      13.   Antisemitic 06:12  |  jjvanka 30/03/08
      14.   The Judenrat has spoken - 06:18  |  Randy 30/03/08
      15.   Frightened Dutch Jews resort to political correctness. 06:25  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/03/08
      16.   Useful Idiots Who Have Not Seen Film Condemn It 06:30  |  PK 30/03/08
      17.   Fitna 06:50  |  Naftali Nakhshon 30/03/08
      18.   Very good post, PK, # 5, congrats. 07:06  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/03/08
      19.   That Film Doesn`t Portrary General Character... 07:34  |  Brad 30/03/08
      20.   scared of the truth now? 07:39  |  JfromC 30/03/08
      21.   the Dutch jews are not scared, they see the truth 07:46  |  Zaki 30/03/08
      22.   Geert knew full well... 07:51  |  RM 30/03/08
      23.   I have viewed this movie... 08:00  |  Bob 30/03/08
      24.   Love Taliban way of life? ignore fitna 08:42  |  jn 30/03/08
      25.   Islam is a religion of tolerance 08:44  |  Adel 30/03/08
      26.   More films on ignorance is the last thing humanity needs 08:44  |  liberal muslim 30/03/08
      27.   "Leaders" need to find their intestinal fortitude,Wilder`s Right! 08:45  |  NewAgenda 30/03/08
      28.   "Cowards" 09:02  |  Alfred 30/03/08
      29.   Criticizing islam is correct 09:09  |  Ivan 30/03/08
      30.   RESPONSE TO BOB #23-- is fitna FACTUAL? 09:41  |  Samy 30/03/08
      31.   HE IS COMPENSATING HIS FATHER SIN 09:55  |  indrajaya 30/03/08
      32.   Adel 09:56  |  sweis Melbourne 30/03/08
      33.   The only important fact in this whole affair 10:12  |  Joe 30/03/08
      34.   #26 liberal and adenial of history! 10:31  |  v hardman 30/03/08
      35.   #16 PK VERY WELL SAID 10:33  |  E 30/03/08
      36.   INDRAJAYA.Attacking the man,not the facts stated. Why? 10:41  |  PETER SM 30/03/08
      37.   The Jewish people have good reason to speak out against...... 10:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/03/08
      38.   If you liked Geert Wilders ... 10:44  |  FreedomOfSpeech 30/03/08
      39.   Zaki very wise: now how do you stop the extremists 10:55  |  x-ray 30/03/08
      40.   ADEL..The answer is right in front of you! The Jewish community 10:56  |  PETER SM 30/03/08
      41.   Adel #25 - Peaceful religion? hatred is spread via imams in EU 11:00  |  Aaron 30/03/08
      42.   So if 1 percent of anyone`s society is criminal 11:02  |  Palestinian Prince 30/03/08
      43.   SAMMY "as we speak" Actually it is Pals readying or firing Qassem 11:05  |  PETER SM 30/03/08
      44.   # 36, PETER SM 11:07  |  indrajaya 30/03/08
      45.   PAL.PRINCE.1%? The Tube bombers had a much higher number than 1% 11:12  |  PETER SM 30/03/08
      46.   Having a Fitna 11:14  |  Billy Bunter 30/03/08
      47.   PETER SM 11:23  |  Palestinian Prince 30/03/08
      48.   swiss d wants to APPEASE radicals & fanatics 11:40  |  CK Tan 30/03/08
      49.   PAL Prince Over 80%? where was that said? 11:44  |  PETER SM 30/03/08
      50.   Fitna and Europian Islamophobia 11:51  |  Mohamed Kutty N. 30/03/08
      51.   Swiss Dion 11:53  |  Ehud 30/03/08
      52.   Religion of Peace? 11:57  |  Dave 30/03/08
      53.   Palestinian Prince 12:01  |  Ehud 30/03/08
      54.   Misapprehension and MissFortuna 12:04  |  sh 30/03/08
      55.   RM 12:15  |  American Christian 30/03/08
      56.   We the European citizens 12:18  |  Eylo 30/03/08
      57.   Geert Wilders is brave enough to say and sign 12:19  |  Ulf 30/03/08
      58.   To Adel 12:21  |  American Christian 30/03/08
      59.   That`s how it started 12:23  |  Alamo 30/03/08
      60.   To Samy 12:27  |  American Christian 30/03/08
      61.   # 51 Ehud, if you take the time to read my post once again..... 12:31  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/03/08
      62.   Fitna 12:39  |  Gabe 30/03/08
      63.   Dutch prime minister is a coward 13:02  |  de Jong 30/03/08
      64.   It is so wearisome 13:03  |  Walter 30/03/08
      65.   @ Swiss (Dino) 13:31  |  Ralph 30/03/08
      66.   ‘No resistance is resistance’ (Randy of 14, Zaki 21) 13:38  |  Shoshana Thomasson 30/03/08
      67.   Dutch Jewish group:Anti-Islam film is `counterproductive` 13:39  |  Lani Rosen 30/03/08
      68.   Questions about wtc 14:04  |  michael 30/03/08
      69.   If Muslims Don`t Like This Film... 14:20  |  Yosemite 30/03/08
      70.   Fitna shows the truth about islam, clear and concise 14:20  |  Johnny 30/03/08
      71.   I RAISE MY HAT FOR THE WISE .. ONLY!