euro|topics - Abdelkader Benali

Benali, Abdelkader

2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.

Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Switzerland | 05/02/2008

Abdelkader Benali on Geert Wilders

Even if Geert Wilders' film criticising the Koran is shown on television – it will not trigger a shock as did 'Submission' by Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Theo van Gogh, writes Amsterdam author Abdelkader Benali, who was born in Morocco. "While some Muslim representatives warned of an unprecedented uproar, other Muslims launched a campaign against it using parody, with their 'Cuddle Geert' action. They invited the Dutch to counter Geert Wilders' polemic with testimonies of friendship, quite in keeping with the Muslim style. ... The Muslims have learned from the past and have recognised that they must respond to anti-Islamic attacks only with dialogue, engagement and a wise media offensive. So Wilders' film is involuntarily supporting the integration of Muslims in the Dutch tradition of dealing with religion publicly.'

NRC Handelsblad - Netherlands | 24/05/2006

Abdelkader Benali on Ayaan Hirsi Ali

"She was the plaything of the Dutch elite," expains Dutch writer Abdelkader Benali, referring to the former MP, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a vehement critic of radical Islam. "This elite was white, lived in Amsterdam and saw in her criticism a good outlet for venting their anti-Muslim feelings. She made her grand entry into this milieu after September 11 and, with each subsequent Islamic terrorist attack, she saw her popularity rating climb another notch. Every time Hirsi Ali was criticised, the elite formed a cordon sanitaire around her. Ayaan was a saint. ... Irony would have it that in the end it was her own party that turned its back on her for alledgely lying about her name. ... But that is not the main issue in the debate. Rather, it is the boomerang that she [Ayaan Hirsi Ali] sent bouncing back in her face. The open, tolerant and multicultural Dutch society of the 1990's has come to an abrupt end and we must now prepare for its total annihilation."

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