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Last update - 12:24 02/04/2008
Dutch Jews louder than Muslims in condemning 'Fitna' film
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Tags: Jews, Muslims, Koran 

THE HAGUE - Ironically, Dutch Jews are more outspoken than local Muslims in their criticism of the newly released anti-Islam film by rightist legislator Geert Wilders, says Dr. Ronny Naftaniel, head of the pro-Zionist Center for Information and Documentation (CIDI).

Last Friday, hours after the film's online release, CJO, the Jewish community central board of which CIDI is a member, condemned the footage as generalizing and counterproductive to the fight against extremism. The board described parts of the film as unacceptable, adding it had crossed the line of legitimate criticism.

By contrast, Yusuf Altuntas of CMO, a body that facilitates contact between Muslims and the government, said that by releasing the film - which is entitled "Fitna" (Arabic for "strife") - "Wilders is testing the limits of acceptability, but hasn't gone beyond them."
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The Muslim community's response - which the Dutch media described as "calm" - was to say the film is not religiously insulting to Islam, and that they had anticipated more offensive content. The government's fears of rioting never materialized.

"They [the Muslim community] are afraid. They have been told by the Dutch government to keep quiet and be wise about this issue, and that's what they want to do," Naftaniel told Haaretz on Monday in CIDI's four-story headquarters near the American embassy.

"I was surprised by the silence of the local Muslim leaders," Naftaniel added. "If I were a Muslim, I would speak out and I would blame Wilders for this film. I wouldn't stop shouting about it. I don't understand their silence, I really don't. I think they are scared."

A spokesman for CMO told Haaretz that although the Muslim community had not taken to protesting the film in the streets, the umbrella group for Dutch Muslims does condemn it.

The 15-minute film, which drew millions of viewers since its release Thursday, contains footage of Muslim clerics and protesters calling for the slaying of Jews, verses from the Koran, videos from scenes of suicide bombings and executions, illustrations of the demographic increase in the number of European Muslims and archive material from the Dutch media about Islamic terrorism-related incidents.

Naftaniel says that even though he feels the Dutch Jewish community is more at liberty to criticize "Fitna" than the Muslim community, "the only thing which may prevent many Jews from criticizing this film is that they consider Wilders very pro-Israeli and that they don't want to annoy him."

After the Jewish community condemned the film, CIDI received several angry calls from members who objected to the criticism. "Some even wanted to leave our organization, but I really think that what he did was wrong," he said.

Naftaniel stressed that it's not the criticism of Islam that prompted him to condemn the film, but the linking of that criticism of Koran-inspired violence with the demographics. Naftaniel said that is tantamount to suggesting all Muslims are terrorists.

CIDI's founder says he was particularly offended by angry reactions to the Jewish condemnation of "Fitna." These reactions, which came mainly as reader responses to online articles about the condemnation, accused the Jewish community of trying to appease the Holland's Muslims.

"We are never afraid to speak out in the harshest of terms against what we think is wrong, be it against Muslim extremism here in the Netherlands, or the Dutch or Israeli governments," he said. "But this movie portrays all Muslims as The Enemy. And this is just not true."

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      1.   The Dhimmis Have Spoken 02:39  |  massaraksh 02/04/08
      2.   nothing like covering one`s keister 02:52  |  natan 02/04/08
      3.   Jews Muslims Are Cousins 02:53  |  Fadel 02/04/08
      4.   dutch jews.... 02:55  |  ljf-canada 02/04/08
      5.   Naftanielis an idiot. 03:11  |  Edifice 02/04/08
      6.   Dutch Jews vs Fitna and Muslim Reaction 03:23  |  Roland 02/04/08
      7.   Jews were last to condemn Nazis also 03:26  |  Liberalism is mental 02/04/08
      8.   Once again Jewish level headed opinion 03:46  |  Avrum 02/04/08
      9.   Dutc h Jews - Silent When Israel is Defamed 04:24  |  Tod Zuckerman 02/04/08
      10.   Fitna is offensive 04:27  |  Marty E. 02/04/08
      11.   As loud as their fear 04:41  |  Fortuna Benmayor 02/04/08
      12.   To Tod Zuckerman 05:02  |  Roland 02/04/08
      13.   Fitna 05:04  |  amr 02/04/08
      14.   Brotherhood, Shalom,Rumi 05:06  |  Hasan 02/04/08
      15.   fadel #3 05:12  |  Aussie Eli 02/04/08
      16.   The religion of fear 05:20  |  Joseph . E 02/04/08
      17.   Islam is a very peaceful religion 05:21  |  H. Rosan 02/04/08
      18.   Nu, whats new? 05:26  |  Trotzky 02/04/08
      19.   Thought you should know..... 05:27  |  Jack Smith 02/04/08
      20.   The film is so stupid that it is beneath contempt 05:28  |  Kevin 02/04/08
      21.   Fact 05:33  |  Andhika 02/04/08
      22.   And why not? 05:38  |  Mark Lincoln 02/04/08
      23.   Self-Hating Jews 06:09  |  Scott Geller M.D. 02/04/08
      24.   Real Jews 06:12  |  abi zaid 02/04/08
      25.   Dutch Jews louder than Muslims in condemning `Fitna` film 06:33  |  Douglas Kazdoy 02/04/08
      26.   they should have kept quiet 06:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/04/08
      27.   Propaganda in Action 06:36  |  Natallie Durson 02/04/08
      28.   No insult FROM Religious Perspective 07:09  |  Truth 02/04/08
      29.   Silence is Golden 07:19  |  Astrid 02/04/08
      30.   God gives guidance to whoever he choses 07:20  |  Mian Ahmed 02/04/08
      31.   Just scared 07:35  |  dan 02/04/08
      32.   # 17 Rosan and verse 8:39 07:39  |  Kevin 02/04/08
      33.   # 22 Mark Lincoln 07:45  |  Truth 02/04/08
      34.   Fitna 07:49  |  Alfredo 02/04/08
      35.   to Andhika 08:25  |  George 02/04/08
      36.   The proof 08:42  |  Angel 02/04/08
      37.   Kevin sees people beheaded, calls it `stupid` 09:12  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/04/08
      38.   Jewish struggle against "Fitna" 09:13  |  Someone 02/04/08
      39.   what was/is/would be your reaction 09:14  |  simpi 02/04/08
      40.   Lincoln says close your eyes to evil and it will go away 09:21  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/04/08
      41.   Fadel we don`t claim your land: you have huge territories 09:23  |  x-ray 02/04/08
      42.   BBC is offensive 09:36  |  Joe 02/04/08
      43.   Naftaniel wears a swastika 09:39  |  Darin Weiss 02/04/08
      44.   JEWS IN EUROPE WERE ALWAYS SMARTER 09:49  |  indrajaya 02/04/08
      45.   SMART JEWS, logical and non biased 09:55  |  VIPER 02/04/08
      46.   freedom of speech 09:58  |  jon 02/04/08
      47.   to 3 10:08  |  Harry 02/04/08
      48.   They are scared. Hypocrites 10:10  |  Laila 02/04/08
      49.   Proof: Israel does not speak for World Jewry 10:32  |  Chanalau, Tova 02/04/08
      50.   Indra - CIDI is the Center for Documentation&Information Israel 10:34  |  Jeroen de Jager 02/04/08
      51.   Dutch Jews louder than Muslims 10:38  |  Ralph 02/04/08
      52.   @3 Fadel 10:43  |  Ralph 02/04/08
      53.   why shouldnt Jews condemn it??? 10:47  |  Israeli4Peace 02/04/08
      54.   We the Dutch Jews aren`t scared - but we condemn hatemongering 10:49  |  Jeroen de Jager 02/04/08
      55.   The work of Zionists 10:54  |  Atoo 02/04/08
      56.   # 46, JEROEN DE JAGER 10:55  |  indrajaya 02/04/08
      57.   Euro-Muslims 10:59  |  Joseph 02/04/08
      58.   Tears of joy filled my eyes as I learned about the Holy Koran 11:43  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/04/08
      59.   the film in question 11:50  |  Davka 02/04/08
      60.   fitna 11:52  |  dag hammerskold 02/04/08
      61.   the Jews protest 11:53  |  Davka 02/04/08
      62.   I need to express my... 12:08  |  Edith 02/04/08
      63.   It is not true that the film is not insulting 12:19  |  Edith 02/04/08
      64.   #9 Israel simply is a very complex... 12:22  |  Edith 02/04/08
      65.   I also need to say that... 12:31  |  Edith 02/04/08
      66.   To please those who hate ... 12:48  |  Edith 02/04/08
      67.   # 63, EDITH 12:50  |  Indrajaya 02/04/08
      68.   reply to fadel 13:09  |  alain 02/04/08
      69.   Dutch Jews? 13:15  |  DM 02/04/08
      70.   #54 Jeroen de Jager 13:17  |  Sarah 02/04/08
      71.   Oh Jesus 13:18  |  Angel 02/04/08
      72.   Dutch Jews are Smart