 |
Isi Leibler chairs the Diaspora-Israel relations committee of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and is a veteran Jewish international leader.
|
|
|
|
By Isi Leibler
May 31, 2006
Londonistan
By Melanie Phillips
Encounter
200pp., $25.95
The nightmare has truly become a reality. A frightening new book simultaneously released in the United States and the United Kingdom starkly exposes the magnitude of the penetration of Islamic Fundamentalism into every aspect of British public life. Melanie Phillip's ground breaking new work, aptly titled "Londonistan" is the most important study published to date exposing the looming disaster which confronts Britain (and most European countries) if the prevailing policies of appeasing Islamic extremism are not reversed.
The author, a talented writer who was awarded the George Orwell prize in journalism in 1996, writes a regular hard hitting column in the London Daily Mail on political and social issues.
Phillips demonstrates that the concept of multi-culturalism, which liberals and most Western Jews were until now vigorously supporting, has served as a Trojan horse enabling Islamic fundamentalists to establish a prime international hub for the recruitment, promotion and financing of global terror in London, the cradle of Western democracy. She describes in graphic detail how, with the benign tolerance of British intelligence and the police, liberal immigration laws were exploited to enable some of the most radical agents of international terrorist organizations to find safe havens, create networks, and even achieve respectability within British society.
The book provides dramatic descriptions of the disarray, decadence, and lack of moral fiber as the combined forces of the governing class, bureaucracy and even the Church of England prostrated themselves at the feet of Islamic extremists. Phillips quotes chapter and verse of the cowardly responses by politicians to outrageous demands of the Jihadists and their supporters, including a number of Parliamentarians, some of whom even stooped to becoming cheerleaders for suicide bombers in their desperate effort to curry votes from their growing Moslem constituency.
There are today two million Muslims in Britain. More of them attend Mosques than Britons attend Anglican Churches. The frequently expressed mantra that the majority of Moslems are open minded moderates is unfortunately simply wishful thinking as was exemplified in the recent crisis over the cartoons satirizing the Prophet Muhammad. In fact Phillips demonstrates that the shrinking minority of those still courageous enough to publicly oppose terrorism is effectively being undermined by the authorities who display deference to groups like the "Muslim Council of Britain", who make outlandish threats, indulge in intimidatory behavior, and even identify with suicide bombers.
The chapter covering the groveling behavior of the Church of England displays how the combined impact of appeasement to Moslem extremists and the increasing acceptance of post modernism have undermined British national identity and encouraged the Church to retreat from its Judeo Christian traditions. These trends are intensified by the increasing acceptance of Christian replacement theology and the repeated application of crude double standards against Israel, which frequently assume anti Semitic overtones.
The chilling chapter dealing with the burgeoning growth of aggressive anti Semitism suggests that Anglo Jewry is en route to being relegated to pariah status. The radical right and extreme left are now converging with Islamic extremists towards generating an accelerating climate of hatred against Jews. They continuously relate to global Jewish conspiracies and repeatedly challenge Israel's right to exist. The renewed efforts by branches of the National Association of University Teachers to carry resolutions boycotting Israeli lecturers and academic institutions exemplify the extremes to which anti Israeli initiatives are being taken. No such resolution was ever directed against any other country! It is of course also bizarre to observe Leftists proudly marching under a common anti Israeli platform purportedly based on human rights, side by side with Jihadists who deny female equality, preach death to gays, promote censorship, and endorse suicide bombing against innocent civilians.
British Jews, many of whom still remain in a state of denial and minimize the extent of the anti Semitic avalanche enveloping them, should read "Londonistan". It will demonstrate to them that whilst dialogue with Moslems is undoubtedly a worthy objective, in the present climate it is palpable nonsense to suggest that such activities will diminish the excesses of extremist Moslems.
The London daily, "The Independent" on May 10 reported that over 700 supporters of Al Qaeda are currently living in Britain. A few days later the British Home Secretary John Reid confirmed in Parliament that London's July 7 2005 suicide bombers responsible for killing 52 innocent civilians, were home grown terrorists motivated by a desire to achieve martyrdom. But even after the London bombings, hate mongering from radical Islamic imams and lay leaders continues unabated throughout the land.
Today there are obvious parallels to the policies of appeasement which dominated the European scene in the 1930s prior to the advent of Churchill. However, the danger now emanates from within rather than from an external Nazi threat. A growing fifth column has already successfully anchored itself in London and is now poised to advance further towards the ultimate objective of imposing the Caliphate and making Islam the ruling authority of the land. There have already been serious attempts to create a parallel Islamic jurisdiction under the Sharia. Five years ago anyone predicting such extraordinary developments would have been considered a madman.
"Londonistan" is a courageous exposé of what is happening in Britain as well as a last minute wake up call for the British to act now before it is too late. As in the past, the instinctive response from Islamic radicals and their apologists will invariably be to aggressively justify their position and endeavor to divert attention from the frightening reality of the situation by demonizing Melanie Phillips as an Islamophobe and extremist. All the more reason why this important book should be required reading for all European politicians as well as those concerned with the growing Islamo-Fascist threat to Western civilization. Clearly the message is that if the leaders of the nation who forged the foundations of Western democracy lack the backbone and will to defend their way of life, we do indeed have cause to be concerned for the long term survival of Western Civilization.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
